The Ascending of Jesus Christ (Backup)

by GenericReader

In his death at the cross, Jesus had expected to awaken in his father's heaven, only to find to his surprise; to be awaken in another world filled with monsters, cruelty, and betrayal. Knowing that his father had more in store for him, Jesus, taking up the role of the shield hero, will bring redemption to this cruel world for all its sins. (Rated T for Christians) *Not a Parody.*

4. New Awakening - Revelation 4

"Earn the right to be heard by listening to others. Seek to understand a situation before making judgments about it." - John C. Maxwell, Evangelical Christian

20 Years Ago, BK (Before the Kaha)

Nobody is born alike, each and every person, with unique and individual traits that defined them as a whole. Yet, in this strange reality of existence, everything had its flaws, that's how it has always applied in any world with sentient life. Born in different environments under different people, it's impossible to expect somebody to think alike as the person several miles over across the mountain bordering your life with theirs.

And in this unnamed world lived three different intelligent life-forms, each with their own unique features and culture that made them stand out from each other. But it was because of these differences that these conflicts often occurred.

In a world with completely different faces from his other creations, he gifted this world with a diverse form of life. Yet, despite his intention of giving this world a diverse set of inhabitants, this gift also had its problems, helping them form a more harsh sense of tribalism. Making it easy for them to tell apart friend from foe. And because of this tribalistic mindset, an attempt at genocide and demonising each other's people other than their own was a common mentality for the young sentient beings living in this world, these beings who did not know any better.

No matter where, no matter how, no matter what he did to try and make them good, loving creatures, all the while limiting himself from giving them too much good to keep to his word of giving them free will. They always ended up making mistakes in the inevitable end.

He wanted them to love each other, whispering into their ears to grow tired of this pointless violence that always led to the same cycle of grief and anger.

But his attempted whispers were always overlapped by the hungry voice of the embodiment of sin, Satan whispering closer into the ears of the angry, tormented, and scared. Guiding them to commit the sin that they refuse to take responsibility for, a cycle which has always repeated, evolving itself to better fit into the next generation that came, appealing better and more tempting.

This has been Satan's way of calling out his attention, an eternal attempt he never gave up on in trying to make his former master buckle down onto his knees. This was his way of releasing his hatred at the master who he had once tried to kill and failed to do so.

This was Satan's belief in revenge.

An eternal one he wished to torment his master who refused to kill him with.

And God endured it for the rest of his existence, refusing to kill the fallen angel who he knew could repent, but was too stubborn to do so. And for this, he refused to forgive him.

But no longer could he watch his creation continue their cycle of sin. No longer could he wait for them to find the good in themselves and fix their past mistakes.

No.

He had to intervene.

Inevitably.

He will make his presence known to them.

Despite his wish for a world to reconcile for their sins without the need for his constant intervention.

But now, he had to put the fear in them. For a child without a father or mother could never learn to find the fear to respect the life around them.

He had to lead them again.

But first, he had to prepare.

He needed somebody to prepare for the coming of him and his son.

Somebody to baptize him into this new world.

xxx

Born into a breed of Foxmen Demi-humans, Syklo had red hair and a black nose, with an orange-red tail curled up behind his back, one that turned into the shape of a blazing flame when the Foxman was angered.

Following in the footsteps of his father. Syklo had joined the Siltveltian military and rose above the ranks quickly thanks to his family name, connections, and his skill in combat when riding on a Filolial.

Promoted to become Captain of his own Squad of cavalry, it was common for Syklo Eve to find himself at war with Humans. Raiding villages and occasionally fighting an army head-on on the battlefield.

Several times he could have ended up dead, but fate seemed to always have a reason for him to live.

Yet, despite his endeavors. Syklo has had a lingering feeling in his heart, a feeling striving for the companionship of the opposite sex. Several times, his father and mother had tried to offer him the hand of the beautiful daughters of nobles they were close friends with, but none of those girls ever struck him right.

He thought that he could never find love, until the day of the invasion.

Ever since Syklo found himself riding into battle a few months later with a neighboring Human kingdom. The higher-ups had decided to attack a well-fortified city by the outskirts of the kingdom that they believe would provide a perfect base for them to launch their future attacks on.

After a long, draining siege onto the city, eventually, the Human's soldiers weakened and that was when they decided to storm into the city. After the teams of battering-rams had taken down the gates, their swords held high, the Siltvetian army stormed into the city, with Syklo leading his own team of cavalrymen alongside several other teams into the mob of screaming and starved human soldiers and civilians alike, swinging their swords down onto their heads, hacking and slashing as the Filolial they road on trampled over the men, women, and children below, bloodying the streets indiscriminately with their blood.

As the first hundreds of their men poured into the village, Syklo and the rest of the cavalry reached the street leading to the main square. Here they ere met with a desperate force of guards and peasants alike, forming a wall with spears and pitchforks pointed at them, their faces filled with absolute fear and the determination to kill.

Amidst the chaos, Syklo's attention fixated on a figure, alongside several armored Tyrella standing out from the crowd with armored men sitting the top of it, was her, the mother of his child. A noblewoman, the daughter of the city's General. With hazel brown hair reflecting sunlight, she clutched the city flag in one hand and brandished a bronze sword in the other. Fear flickered in her eyes, concealed beneath a façade of bravery and determination.

Syklo couldn't help himself but stare at her Hazel brown hair, which reflected the light of the sun that beamed down on her, the sun that chose to shine on this grim day of theirs. It was love at first sight for Syklo, and he had this pounding feeling coming from his chest, something that his mind couldn't deny.

Using his position as Captain of his squadron, Syklo raised a hand and pointed his sword and the girl he has eyes on. "Nobody touches the girl! She's mine alone!" His men's silence was enough for him as a silent nod of acknowledgment. One of the other Captains raises his sword and points it towards the crowd, sending saliva flying as he gave the order to charge.

Their forces quickly overwhelmed the unmounted mob, trampling over them and never allowing them to regain their formation. Syklo's Filolial pushed past the humans below it, giving a loud screech as it trampled the men who screamed in agony as it stepped onto their legs and bodies. Syklo hacked and slashed at the men around him, parrying the weapons of those who attempted to strike him or his mount.

His eyes stared intently at the girl across from him, her arms readying her sword as she braced herself for their inevitable combat. Which never came.

An arrow whizzed past Syklo and struck the Noble on her right shoulder. She let out a loud scream as Syklo let out a yell of frustration.

"You Imbecile! Don't shoot!" He called out to the now arriving archers as he urged his Filolial to push forward. The men mounted on the Tyrella attempted to surround her as they yelled out orders to the crowd to hold their formation, raising their shields as they checked on the girl who roared with pain.

In his desperation to get to her, Syklo failed to notice the spear finding its way into his Filolials chest, which let out a wailing screech before toppling over. Syklo cursed as he rolled to the floor, feeling several feet step on his legs and arms while men stepped back to avoid getting hit by the thrashing Filolial.

Immediately getting back up to his feet, Syklo thrust his sword at a distracted soldier and push his way through the crowd, raising his shield up to parry the blows of the Humans around him. "Captain!" One of his men yelled after him a few yards back, but those words fell on deaf ears as soon as he reached the mounted Tyrella surrounding the General's Daughter.

With a yell, Syklo raises his sword and slashes the neck of the Tyrella closest to him, causing the animal to fall down dead and the man sitting atop of it to come falling down onto the man next to him, causing a chain reaction among the circle of Tyrella. His eyes spotted the General's daughter, sitting atop her Tyrella with a hand gripping the arm where the arrow had struck her.

She sat there, her sword laying down below her Tyrella's feet as she stared at Syklo with absolute fear. Smiling to himself, Syklo seizes the girl by her waist and drags her off her mount as she gave off a defiant scream, thrashing about. Syklo felt her body land on him as they both let out a grunt, the edges of her armor scraping against his.

Instinctively, Syklo pushes her onto her back and puts his weight on her, pinning her down as she looked at him in the eye, screaming with fear. "Siltveltian Archers, FIRE!" Screamed Syklo as he hugs the girl pinned down underneath him, pushing her down closer to the ground.

Then followed the sound of volleys of arrows whizzing past them, the sound of steel hitting their marks as men everywhere screamed in agony as they fell over each other in an attempt to escape or as the arrows struck their marks. Syklo felt the boots of men step on his back, arms, and legs, the pain never registering in his brain as he stared at the girl who had captured his heart into her very eyes. Those eyes stared back at him with absolute fear.

Feeling the bodies of several men laying atop of him, the sound of screaming soon began to fade away, which was soon followed by a yell of cheer coming from his side of the battle. With his remaining strength, Syklo grunted and pushed off the body of the men laying atop him, the muscles in his arms straining as he did so.

The light of evening shone down at him as his arms rolled off the bodies of the men on top of him, the pain only registering to him as he groaned in agony.

"Captain!" One of his soldiers called, running up to him followed by several others. After seeing his bloodied face, the soldier looked over him in concern and called back for a healer.

As one of the soldiers bent over to help Syklo up, Syklo immediately whispered to him not to harm the girl and to see that she is treated as well.

"Aye sir," his man replied, putting Syklo's arm around his shoulder as a few other men reached out to help.

Her face still filled with terror, the General's daughter stared after him, her mouth half-open as the blood on her shoulder where the arrow stood out began to dry.

"Hello," Syklo said with a bloodied smile with a few missing teeth, before passing out.

xxx

Suzzane Vivans had everything taken away from her by war. When the war with the demihumans had first started, she was just a mere child. Barely into her elevens. Then, who would've thought, 8 years later, she'd find her kingdom captured. Her people and family were slaughtered, while she was sentenced to life as a slave to a demihuman who eyed her in ways that made her shudder down to her spine.

She cursed this damn life she lived as a slave seal was placed upon her chest. The pain burned from inside and out, tearing her body apart as part of her attempted to fight off the magic already effortlessly taking over her body.

Several times, she attempted to escape her prison, wanting nothing of this life as a sex slave to a monstrous demi-human who raped her every night. Though she tried, they never seemed to work. Always getting caught in the end and sentenced to horrible punishments by her 'husband.'

She hated him, and she hated her life.

She wished he were dead but the spirits of the three heroes forced her to stay alive. For whatever damn fucked up reason they believed that was.

Her life within the household was also equally miserable. Despite her master proclaiming her as his wife. Whenever he wasn't around, she was subject to abuse and misery. And never could she utter a word to her master for she was also bonded to his family and the servants of the house as well.

Her life held no meaning anymore.

Once, she was a powerful swordswoman, destined to take over he father's spot as General of the walled city she was raised in. All of her life's work was taken away in just a single day. Due to these damn demi-humans.

If there was a spirit watching over her, where the damn hell are they? Why haven't the three heroes come to bring judgment upon these demons? Why... why her? What did she do to deserve a life like this?

And to add to her misery, she was forced to bear the child of her master. An abomination in her eyes as she stared down at her bloated stomach.

Seated on a red leather-made chair facing the window which the sun shone through. Suzzane stared blankly at the sun shining up ahead, her eyes burning while her mind refused to look away or blink. Then when finally she couldn't hold it open any longer, her eyes subconsciously blinked on their own as tears rolled down her eyes.

Looking behind her, Suzzane stared at the two guards by the room's door who always stood there watching in a still silence, having been placed there to prevent her from escaping as she did so before.

Looking down at her belly again, Suzzane thought that this abomination of a child deserved at least a bit of love. And the best love she could offer this child was saving it from experiencing this life of disappointments.

Standing up, Suzzane blankly walked towards the window and smashed a fist through it.

She didn't feel the sting of the glass as it ripped across her skin, nor did she even notice the blood dripping from her arm.

She never noticed the guards yelling out in surprise, walking forward to prevent her from doing whatever she planned next.

Suzzane was ready to die. After all these years of trying to live, hoping for a miracle, her mind finally gave up.

Readying her legs to sprint into the window and to fall to her death on the grass below. Suzzane closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

The air smelled good.

STOP! DO NOT TAKE ONE STEP FURTHER SUZZANE VIVANS.

A voice from out of nowhere commanded. Suzzane stopped, caught by surprise as a sudden bright light flashed at her eyes. The brightness of the light, pierced her eyes, sending pain registering into her head as she was hit with temporary blindness.

The guards behind her staggering back, caught too by the flash of light and shocked with wonder at the sudden voice.

"M-my eyes!" Suzzane called out, her hands shakily rising up to her face to feel if it was even still there.

"Hey! What the hell happened?!" A guard called out.

"Stop!" Another called out reflexively, although that did little to nothing to whatever presence shared the room with them.

But the light continued to grow brighter, refusing to dim as it wrapped around the body of Suzzane, pulling her along with it.

Suzzane felt her insides get sucked into some vacuum, unable to escape its invisible pull as she helplessly tried grabbing onto anything around her.

Then, in a blink of a second, her vision cleared and she found herself sitting on a cloud, above the skies, and above her hovered a figure that nearly caused her heart to stop.

The giant head of a lion surrounded by the heads of an Eagle, a cow, and the head of a human man loomed over her, the eyes on every head shining a blinding gold as it intensely stared at her. The being had several wings around it, four of them wrapped around its body and two stretching across the upper part of its back, and another two at the heels of its foot.

BE NOT AFRAID, FOR I BEAR A MESSAGE TO YOU FROM OUR ALMIGHTY LORD.

"What the hell are you?! Stay back!" Suzzane screamed, backing up with pure fear in her eyes.

Her hands grabbed onto the soft yet solid clouds below her, her mind being unable to fathom the bizarre situation she had suddenly found herself in.

Her mind screamed at her to look away, close her eyes, and avoid this creature's gaze. Yet, an invisible force seemed to stop her from acting upon her impulses. She couldn't look away from the brightly glowing creature whose presence seemed to engulf her in a commanding, yet comforting atmosphere.

Soon, she found her breathing beginning to relax, as the fear slowly left her head. A soft feeling replaced the intense fear she had just felt.

FEAR NOT HUMAN, I BRING NO HARM. ALL I ASK OF YOU IS TO LISTEN TO THIS MESSAGE I BEAR TO YOU.

Suzzane did not respond as the creature continued: 20 YEARS FROM NOW, THE LORD ALMIGHTY PLANS TO SEND HIS ONE AND ONLY SON INTO THIS WORLD, TO SAVE IT FROM ITS TIME OF SIN AND SUFFERING. THE LORD PLANS FOR YOU TO BEAR AND RAISE THE CHILD WHO WOULD PREPARE HIM FOR THIS WORLD. FOR IT IS UNKNOWN FOR HIM.

The Angel then awaited her response, watching the look on Suzzane's face as her fragile mind attempted to process the words spoken to her by the terrifying creature.

Pitying the broken state in her mind, the Angel peeked into the memories she held deep in her head. Seeing the trials she's been through and her fall from grace.

I PITY YOU YOUNG WOMAN, A WONDERFUL LIFE YOU LED TILL IT WAS TAKEN AWAY FROM YOU BY THE SINNERS WHO HAVE WRONGED YOU. BUT HERE, MY LORD OFFERS YOU ANOTHER CHANCE. A CHANCE FOR YOU TO SAVE YOURSELF AND THIS WORLD FROM SIN. A LIFE THAT PROMISES ONLY PEACE AND A WORLD AGAINST SIN.

Shaking her head and breathing heavily. Suzzane raises her head as her body trembles from anger. "You... pity me? Then you better fucking PITY ME! Who the hell do you think you are? If you've come to kill me then just do it rather than pushing these half-asses promises of second chances at me! I know you are just some high-level monster who's come to eat on my hopes! My soul! Whatever the hell you've come for! I don't give a fuck anymo-"

SILENCE!

The Angel suddenly boomed, cutting Suzzane off from her impulsive rant. The terrified and broken woman looks up at the angel with nearly glassy eyes, showing the broken soul she held inside, just begging for help, calling out to it.

The Angel reached out into her soul, wrapping it into a warm embrace as it healed the broken parts in her body, comforting her within its warmth.

Suzzane's trembling came to a stop as she just sat there, her eyes half-open as she felt a warm feeling swirl around inside her, pulling her into a deep sleep.

SLEEP NOW LITTLE ONE, FOR YOUR ACHES ARE HEALED NOW. GO ON AND READY YOUR SON FOR THE COMING OF LIGHT. FOR HE WILL BE HIS LORD'S FRIEND AND TEACHER.

Suzzane, smiled, giving no reply as she gave in to the warmth and fell asleep. Hearing the Angel's last words to her:

FOR HIS NAME SHALL BE REDAN.

xxx

Jesus walked through the streets followed by Thomas, his first follower in this world. On his first day in this world, already a lot of problems arose and presented themselves to him. Giving him a clear idea of what to expect in the approaching future.

Wearing the hood of his cloak all the way forward, Jesus hides his face from the surrounding crowd with the false rumors about him that the King had promised to spread being whispered from mouth to ear along the crowd. Already on his first day, he was a target of hatred among the people. But that won't stop him from eating a fine meal back at Thomas's home.

Although he was covered from head to toe, Jesus couldn't figure out how to hide the Shield that refused to budge from his arm, still held together by some invisible force even impenetrable by him. So occasionally, the Shield Hero would get unwelcoming looks from the few passerbys who did happen to notice the Shield he attempted to hide under his sleeve.

Led through the busy streets of the town by Thomas, Jesus quietly follows the young teenager around the market. Listening and nodding to the shops and landmarks the boy points out to him as Jesus mentally notes it to himself to remember this information.

"What kind of food are we looking for again exactly?" Thomas asked, glancing back at Jesus.

"I am not familiar with the foods of this world and had only experienced a meager handful at my first meal here. Let's just look around for now and I'll see what's acceptable for our feast tonight."

Thomas shrugged, gesturing him towards a line of stalls selling goods of food. "Alright well, there's plenty to look at with plenty of time.

The two stroll about the market, with Thomas naming every fruit, vegetable, meat, and pastry they come across. Jesus thoroughly examines each one in his hand, turning it over and feeling it around his fingers.

Although he already knew the properties the goods were made of, a strange icon seemed to pop out of his vision, with green outlines and words describing the object at hand. Numbers showed up next to strange words Jesus couldn't understand. EXP? HP? STM? What did this all mean? Perhaps it was the cost of the item at hand.

"Thomas, what does H-Pee mean? This fruit shows the number 50 next to it and I am seeing boxes all over the place. Perhaps it is the cost? Do you see these squares too?"

Thomas looks over at Jesus with a puzzled look on his face, his eyes moving from him and the fruit he held in his hand. "Uhh... do you mean the description box? If I know my stories right. I think that's some high-class spell high-ranking heroes and mages could use. And since you're one of the four cardinal heroes, that applies for you as well I guess."

"I see," Jesus says, placing the fruit back into its basket. He ignored the impatient look on the store lady's face and continued asking questions. "But what does H-Pee mean?"

"Oh right. HP means health points. Like, how many health points it would restore for you if you ate it when you got hurt."

"I see, so if by chance I get a scar from a fight and I eat this fruit, my wounds will heal?"

"Basically, tho never tried eating one mid-fight though," Thomas said shrugging. "So... are we gonna buy something from here or what?"

Jesus shakes his head and puts down the fruit he was examining, turning to leave and continue down the market streets.

Thomas gave the store lady an awkward smile and follows behind Jesus, ignoring her mumbling curses at them.

"What are we looking for exactly?" Thomas asks again after catching up with Jesus. "We've been wandering around for several dozen minutes already and the sac isn't even filled with a single grain of nuts!" He says, raising up the empty sack he carried.

"Food fit for our feast tonight. This feast shall go down in history and my father has given me the privilege to select what meals shall be eaten by our followers on this very day for the time to come.

"Alrighty then," Thomas says shrugging. "How about some of that grilled dragon meat? Bet your previous world didn't have anything as good as that."

Jesus looks over at the stall selling cooked skewers of dragon meat, with the chubby chef calling out prices and the names of the parts of meat he was selling.

"There have been tales of dragons in my previous world but to begin with, they weren't a species, but a corruption or form taken up by the fallen Angel Satan."

"Satan? Whose that?" Thomas asked, looking at Jesus with general curiosity.

"A lion, who seeks out to devour the creations of my father. Bit by bit."

Seeing that he wasn't going to get a more detailed response, Thomas nods as if understanding and continues down the market with Jesus.

Eventually, the Israelite selects a large melon-like fruit from a fruit stall selling bizarre-looking fruits ranging from tiny berries to large melons resting in crates.

"I picked this one because of its sweet flavor, for the day we celebrate is a sweet one."

"But you've never even tasted it... Shield Hero?"

Jesus looks at Thomas with a blank expression and gestures him along.

"I know that this fruit is sweet Thomas, you need not worry."

Thomas nods in an attempt to show him that he understood, but to be perfectly honest, sometimes the Shield Hero confused him when it came to what went through this man's head.

The two continued along with the market, in around 2 hours of just wandering from stall to stall and shop to shop, Jesus finally filled the sac Thomas carried with selections of meat, fruits, and sweet vegetables and even a small barrel of Melromarc's local wine which Jesus carried under one arm despite Thomas's insistence of carrying it for him.

Taking a break from their long search, Thomas and Jesus sit by the fountain where Jesus had shared his story with Thomas, watching the morning crowd disperse and taking a short breath.

"I trust that your mother is a good cook, Thomas?" Jesus finally says, looking over at the young man with a pleased look on his face.

"Yes my Teacher, my mom is pretty good at making up a good meal even with the most simple of food we used to have before now."

Jesus smiles, nodding in response and moving his gaze towards their sac of food which sat next to Thomas.

"I remember the last feast I had before this. You do not know them, but it was a feast that would... always stay in mind."

"What happened, Teacher?" Thomas asked, noticing the slight change in demeanor in Jesus's expression.

Jesus simply smiled back at him, refusing to elaborate any further as he stared off into the street.

Seeing that Jesus wasn't going to answer his question, Thomas just sighed, assuming that whatever happened in that feast of his, was something that was very close to the Shield Hero that he didn't feel like sharing with him yet.

Several minutes pass by as the two sit there in silence. Thomas stared blankly ahead, mindlessly observing the people passing by and looking over the clothes they wore, their faces, and the items they carried. Their images immediately fade away from his head as his eyes glaze over to the next group of people passing by.

Bored, Thomas glances over at Jesus, seeing that the Shield Hero had his eyes closed with both hands clasped together on his lap as he stood up straight, most likely meditating or some sort Thomas didn't understand.

Finally, after what felt like an hour, Jesus broke the silence by calling out Thomas's name.

"Thomas, let's return."

With a relieved sigh, Thomas immediately stands up, lifting up the heavy sack full of goods and carrying it under his right arm.

Jesus sat still for a few moments before standing up alongside Thomas. And in silence, the two travel down towards the path heading back to the home of Thomas, away from the main square and the bustle of the crowd.

It was nearly evening, as the setting sun indicated over the horizon, emitting a warm orange as the night-time clouds slowly began to overlap the sun, making way for the rising moon.

"Hey, Shield Hero Sir, let's head down this road, I take it sometimes since it tends to be a lot faster than the main path," Thomas said, gesturing down a path that led through a dim road with several restaurants and bars lining it.

Jesus eyes the alleyway silently, offering no response to which Thomas added-

"It's perfectly safe, I know it looks rather dull, but that's because the Queen doesn't bother to have this road fixed up with much lanterns making it look like this dull mess."

"Well then, I'll trust your word Thomas," Jesus said, nodding at the young man to lead the way.

The two walked down an alleyway with several bars filled with a few loud drunkards and a few shops that were getting ready to close for the evening.

But something felt off about this street, something that Jesus could sense but couldn't quite put his finger on.

"Thomas... where does this load lead to exactly?"

"Well, right now we're in the bar district where the drunkards usually hang around. But we're lucky that there's only a few of them at the moment," Thomas said, adjusting his grip on the sack he carried and gesturing around with his free hand. "Then we'll pass by a guard keep and from there we take a left heading towards the district center with the slave-tent then we can cross the bridge near there then my home should be a few minutes walk from there."

"A slave-tent?" Jesus asks, looking at Thomas.

"Yeah, they're usually full of demi-humans captured from the war or traded or whatever kind of business they deal with slaves. Honestly, don't see the appeal to them aside from lazy nobles buying them for their weird-superiority fetish complexes."

Jesus nodded, offering no further response. So even in this world filled with magic and powers, slaves still continued to exist.

Jesus was aware of the existence of slaves back on Earth, although their situation was unfavorable and unfair, its existence couldn't be helped due to Humanity's lust for greed and power. An inevitable fate due to the curse of sin. But God had rules written in place within his scriptures in order to protect these slaves from the extreme. And in a world yet without his father's teachings, Jesus couldn't imagine what it was like for them here.

And with each time he spent on this world, Jesus had come to find another mission which his Father had planted him on his world to do.

"Thomas, I would like to take a look into this slave-tent you speak of."

Thomas looks over at Jesus and folds his eyebrows. "Are you thinking of buying one? Mind you they're usually quite expensive."

Jesus shook his head. "No. I would just like to... see them."

Giving Jesus a puzzled expression, Thomas continued leading them down the path towards their home until they arrived in front of the district center with the massive slave-tent right in the center.

Just looking at it, Jesus could feel the cries of agony these souls wept, a feeling that called for him, begging to be saved.

"So, this is it," Thomas says, eyeing Jesus. "You know we can always come back here tomorrow, It's getting pretty late now Shield Hero Sir."

Jesus raises a hand and shakes his head. "Wait. This is something I must see."

Without waiting for Thomas to utter another word, Jesus walks into the slave tent, lifting aside the curtain and entering the dimly lit structure that smelled of rotting flesh and biological waste.

The sight that awaited him struck his heart and split it into two. With nearly starved humanoid people chained up in cages, some all crammed into one while others lay nearly dead on the ground.

The sight he saw was like that of the Israelites when they were enslaved in Egypt, uncared for, and forced into labor, creating massive tombs for kings who believed themselves to be gods.

"My Lord..." Jesus said to himself, his mouth open as he stared in complete shock.

The near-lifeless bodies in the cages stirred, sensing an aura that emitted something powerful and warm among them. A feeling that they had all nearly had lost hope of ever feeling again. Yet despite having nearly given up on life, that powerful aura they felt, that one that embraced them and warmed their bodies inside that cold and wet cage. They shakily looked up with their shivering bones and dead-panned eyes, reaching out to whatever emitted that power with their frail hands, moaning, and begging for help.

"Hmm... I had not expected you to come and see me, Sir Shield Hero..." A voice called out from within the Tent. Jesus and Thomas look over towards the direction of where the voice came from, seeing the shape of a short and plump man emerge from behind a wooden room. The man was dressed in a black suit with purple feathers.

"I originally was gonna go look for you but it seems you found me instead," the short man said with a cheek-to-cheek smile, twirling the right of his mustache with his finger as he walked towards Jesus and Thomas.

Jesus didn't reply, keeping silent as he looked over the plump man with an indifferent face.

"Not much of a talker now, are we?" The man said, his finger leaving his mustache to rub his chin. The man looked over Jesus and then to Thomas, raising an eyebrow as he eyed the young boy next to Jesus. "But it seems to me you've already found yourself, someone, to help you out after all... But I'm trailing off, how rude of me... I forgot to introduce myself..."

Taking a low bow and spreading his left arm in a small downwards wave, the man smiled. "My name is Beloukas, and I welcome you to my humble business."

Thomas scrunched his eyebrows at the man, saying nothing as Jesus opened his mouth to speak. "I see, thank you for the introduction," Jesus said, raising a hand to his chest. "You may call me Yeshua, and... I've come here to make... business... with you."

'Yeshua?' Thomas thought, noting to ask the Hero this later.

"Oh my, I see I see... very interesting," Beloukas said, rubbing his chin at a slightly faster pace. "Though, may I ask you what you are specifically here to... make business with me about?"

"I am interested in purchasing several of your slaves," Jesus put out, his face firm and unchanging.

Thomas eyed Jesus with a questioning look but said nothing as the slave trader smirked.

"Ah yes! You've come to the right place then, follow me! I have some of the finest slaves for combat and gathering experience in the whole kingdom!"

Beckoning to Jesus and Thomas, Beloukas pulls out a ring of keys in his pocket and begins walking down into an aisle filled with cages. Jesus followed suit with Thomas right behind him.

As they walked down the aisle filled with cages, the slave merchant continued to blabber about each cage they passed, explaining the quality of the prisoner inside and their prices. But Jesus didn't listen to a word he said, his eyes were busy staring into the eyes of the incaged beings, who stared back at him with a pleading, begging look in their eyes. Their frail hands gripped onto the cold metal bars of their cages, begging for help in broken whispers, while others simply tried to reach for him.

Jesus looked at all of them with pity in their eyes, feeling the pain and cries of sorrow they emitted from their souls. He had the power to destroy these cages, the power to strengthen them and give them the power to free themselves, the power to transport them far away from this depressing place. But, by doing so, he would be taking away the chance to repent from the man walking in front of him. And never in his whole existence, would he take that chance from anybody.

They arrived at the end of the aisle which held several large cages filled with huge beast-like humanoids. Beloukas turns around and knocks his hand on the metal bar of the nearest cage to him, gesturing to the huge wolfman residing inside of it. "This one right here is one of the best slaves for fighting that I have under my roof," Beloukas said. Jesus looked into the cage to see a huge wolf-like humanoid being with the bodily structure of a Human, but it was much more muscular and hairier, almost identical to a wolf. Yet, despite its naturally large muscles, the being looked starved and weak. Under the red of its glowing bloodshot eyes, the creature looked at him with a pleading look, sensing the warm aura Jesus emitted.

Jesus reached a hand into the cage of the beastman, offering his open palm to the huge creature within the other side.

"I wouldn't recommend that Shield Hero-" Beloukas started, a hint of worry in his voice, before he was taken aback by surprise as the beastman rested his snout onto Jesus's hand, staring into his eyes. Through the feeling of his hand, Jesus promised the beastman caged inside freedom, telling him to wait and to spread the word of his promise.

Clearing his throat, Beloukas spoke. "Well, what do you think Shield Hero? Though this one is quite pricy I must say."

"I'm sorry, but I cannot take him at the moment. I believe I do not have the currency to purchase somebody like him."

"I see," Beloukas said, smirking once again. "What kind of slave are you looking for if I may ask?"

"Show me the most fragile," Jesus said.

Thomas looked at Jesus with a questioning look. "I'm sorry Teacher, but... why?"

Jesus looked at Thomas, offering him a reassuring look. "Do not worry Thomas, have faith."

Not understanding but trusting obediently, Thomas remained silent as Beloukas eyed Jesus with a mystified look on his face.

"Hmm... quite a strange interest, but I shall entertain it. Follow me."

Beloukas led Jesus and Thomas to the corner of the tent, where the cages seemed to be made of poorer material and housed younger and elderly-looking slaves.

"Right now, we're walking past the younger and more older slaves I have," Beloukas said, looking back at Jesus. "But I take you aren't referring to these ones when you said the most fragile?"

Jesus's silence seemed to answer Beloukas question as he continued leading them deeper into the aisle until they finally reached the end.

"Most of them have already died out a few days ago, so here are the few that I have left. They're mostly either broken, have something wrong inside their head when they came in, or blind. But I assure you, they're very cheap and obedient, more so with a slave seal."

Jesus walked over to the first cage in the far left corner, moving aside the dirty blanket that covered it. Peeking inside, Jesus saw two figures of what looked like frail demi-human children who looked to be around Thomas's age. They both had long dirtied white hair, and their skin appeared to be covered in dark stains of dry blood. They both held onto each other, shivering from the cold wet air of the tent. The one on the left appeared to be a boy, from what Jesus could tell looking at his facial features. His left arm was missing, and instead, was covered with a poorly wrapped bandage that looked old and infected. His legs appeared to be twisted and his breathing was slow. His half-open eyes stared at Jesus, watching him intensely, his eyes never blinking.

Looking over to his side was who Jesus assumed to be his sister, whom he hugged with his last remaining arm. Her eyelids seemed damaged, and Jesus assumed she was blind. Although her body wasn't as broken as her brother's, it appeared she had several of her toes and fingers forcibly removed. The wounds never having seemed to have fully healed yet.

"I assume those ones would die soon, I do not recommend buying them at all," Beloukas said. "One can't even walk and the other is blind, but if you're still willing to purchase those ones, I'll offer you a good price of 2 silver each. Maybe you can use them for baiting monsters."

Eyeing the two siblings with pitiful eyes, Jesus moved on to the next cage, which housed a beastman who took the form of a bird-like humanoid with blue feathers. His right leg was twisted and he was missing an eye. His arms which also appeared to look like wings were bent and twisted unnaturally, and clamped onto his neck was a metal collar stained with dried blood. With his remaining eye, the beastman looked at Jesus with a pleading look, sensing his aura as the other slaves had. He attempted to stand but failed as he buckled down on his left leg and fell on his back against the metal bar behinds him with a pained crack. The beastman moaned, tears coming down his eyes as he looked at Jesus.

Jesus raised a hand towards him, asking him to wait and not move. The beastman appeared to listen, whimpering to himself in a quiet chirp as Jesus hurriedly looked into the next one. Inside this next cage was a petite girl with a dead expression on her face, she had messy brownish red hair and raccoon-like ears popping out of her head, and a tail which lay on the ground behind her, lifeless. Unlike the other beings who felt his presence, she seemed to not notice him at all, she simply stared blankly ahead, her eyes dead and lifeless.

"Is... this one dead?" Thomas whispered to himself a little too loudly as he peeked over Jesus's shoulder.

Beloukas shook his head, eyeing the Racoon girl inside the cage. "No, she's always been like this since I got her. I have a feeling she's either retarded, or brain-dead, but she still eats and breathes. But I do happen to get a reaction out of her if you yell loud enough or hit her. Nothing a slave seal can't deal with."

Jesus nodded, moving on to the next tent and observing the prisoner in each one of them. In total, there were about 17 cages housing a total of 21 slaves who appeared to be at the brink of death. Jesus steps back and looks the place over, a sad look on his face as he turns to face Beloukas. "I will purchase all 21 of them."

Beloukas smirks, nodding his head and rubbing his hands together. "Excellent, you're a very interesting fellow Shield Hero! For that I'll deduct 10 percent off of your total bill as a token of my appreciation, in total, they will all cost 230 silver."

Jesus nods his head, and gestures for Thomas to hand him his pouch of silver that the King had given him when he first arrived here. Thomas quickly opened the sack he carried and handed Jesus his money, which Jesus then hands to the slave trader who collected the cost.

"Excellent, excellent! Now, let me just arrange the papers and grab the slave seals-"

Jesus shook his head and cut Beloukas off. "No, that won't be necessary, but I must ask you to please unlock the cages so that I may see them up close. Jesus said, pointing at the first cage holding the siblings.

Beloukas smirk faded as he nodded. "Alright then, allow me."

Beloukas passed Jesus and pulled out his keys, picking the one which would unlock the lock on the cage and inserting the key into it. The lock opened and Beloukas swung the door open, he then raised his hand and recited a chant in a strange language, which then caused the metal collars around the sibling's necks to glow purple and begin roughly pulling them out of the cage.

The two children whimpered in pain, as their broken limbs were dragged against the cage's wooden floor.

"Wait! Stop!" Jesus snapped, lowering Beloukas's hand and grabbing hold of the chains connecting to the sibling's collars. "That's enough, call off the spell!"

Beloukas quietly obliged and quickly murmured something under his breath which caused the purple glow of the metal collars to fade away.

"I'll see them myself," Jesus told Beloukas, entering the cage before Beloukas could protest.

The Male sibling eyed Jesus with furious and scared eyes, one that told him that he would have attacked Jesus if he could have. Jesus raised both his hands to show him that he meant no harm, and only wanted to help.

The brother continued eyeing him as Jesus moved in closer, slowly lowering his hand towards him and placing his palm on his cold forehead.

All eyes watched Jesus place a hand on the broken demihuman child, silently observing in silence as they intently tried to hear the words he whispered under his breath. Beloukas found this Shield Hero very strange and different from what he had expected when he had received a message from the Queen's spies, who passed him her request to sell him with some slaves to help him out.

"My Lord... please, heal this child," Jesus whispered, praying under his breath, as he closed his eyes.

Time seemed to slow as the dirtied bandages around the severed arm faded to dust, and the dry red skin began to quickly grow out, like bubbling clay extending out, forming muscle strings and the bones underneath. As the arm formed and quickly began to form the fingers, the twisted legs of the child turned and twisted back to their former state, the blood and bruises fading away as if they were literally being erased from existence.

The Demihuman child simply stared in shock with widened eyes, his eyes seeming to shake as he stared at the arm he had lost now grown back. Unbelieving what he saw, the boy moved the fingers on his newly replenished arm, wiggling them and closing them together to confirm he actually had it back.

Jesus had expected the child to start jumping for joy, which was what always happened every time he had healed a crippled back in Israel. But this child simply stared at his healed body, neither crying nor laughing with joy. The look on his face was blank and hard to read.

Jesus didn't pay attention to it as he moved on to the boy's sister, who weakly looked around as the sound of desperate pleas and whimpers of joy could be heard by the watching prisoners within their cages, watching and anticipating the miracle they witnessed that this man had just performed on a slave.

Jesus lightly pressed his fingers onto the girl's head, whispering again a prayer as he closed his eyes. Her twisted limbs began to righten themselves as Jesus's blessing flowed through her, regenerating her missing fingers and toes as the blood and bruises that had once stained her disappeared into thin air. Then the girl's eyes opened, her pupils showing an icy bright blue just like her brother's. The girl looked around in shock, suddenly able to see again just when moments ago she was blind and hurting.

"S-senh?" She whispered in her language, looking around in confusion as her head jerked back and forth.

Thomas stood behind Beloukas with his eyes wide open, never having seen a miracle quite like this in his whole life. From all the tales he's heard of the strongest magicians, and the feats accomplished by the Cardinal Heroes of the past, he's never seen a healing miracle performed so effortlessly by a freshly summoned Shield Hero... There were of course spells and wizards or priests who could perform them, but they usually caused a lot of mana and drained a lot from the caster's energy. Yet, what surprised him most was the missing presence of a magic circle as the Shield Hero cast his magic, something that even the Cardinal Heroes' magic contained whenever they were to cast a spell. Yet, the Shield Hero had none.

Beloukas simply stared at the Shield Hero in silence, carefully observing the peculiar Shield Hero who had just healed two of his slaves, even having entered their cage without disgust or any second thoughts and just healing their life-ending injuries in a snap.

Jesus slowly moved away from the two siblings who now stared at him with their bright blue eyes. As his blessing finished flowing through them, Jesus finally noticed the greyish-white, wolf-like ears sticking out of their heads just like the other demi-humans he's seen, and sprouting from behind their backs was their long grey-white, graceful tails. Apparently, their ears and tails had been forcibly cut off from the two children before he had healed them, which made Jesus wonder what kind of sick sin in this world has tempted the mind of their abuser.

"Open your eyes once again, for I am now here with you all," Jesus said to them with a small smile, carefully backing away from the cage and moving onto the next cage beside theirs.

The Birdlike Beastman sitting inside the cage stared at Jesus with hopeful eyes, tears almost seeming to form up as Jesus took the keys from Beloukas and began unlocking his door.

"P-please..." The Beastman whispered in his language as Jesus knelt in front of him and placed his fingers on his chest.

"Father, heal the wounds of this man. So that he may serve once again."

The word of his Father spread down onto him and into the Beastman, filling his body with blessings as the Beastman's body is restored, and all his injuries disappeared.

The Beastman carefully sat up, lifting up his wing-like hands and staring at them, tears falling down from his eyes. He then looked up at Jesus, smiling from beak to beak. "Shield Hero... you truly are a God walking among us... I knew you'd come one day and save us! P-praise you!"

Jesus shook his head, returning the Beastman a firm expression that made the smile on his beak disappear. "I am not a God, nor am I asking for you to worship me. I am the messenger and son of the one and only God, who has sent me here to save this world from its sin. All your sins are forgiven, but do not worship me as God."

The Beastman simply stared after Jesus as he stood up and left the cage, leaving him to wonder what in the world this man had just told him. The son and messenger of a God?

Thomas looked from the Beastman and the two Demihuman children his Teacher had just healed, all of who were still staring at him as he moved on to the next cage. This man he followed and met just yesterday continued to raise more questions in his head, just who was he, and this man who told him was the son of the God of the Universe, the man who saved him and his family from poverty, and who effortlessly converted them and made them believe in his words in just less than a day. And now, this man was healing the sworn enemies of man, Demihumans and Beastmen alike without a second thought, and slaves out of all the people he could've chosen.

Jesus continued opening the locks of the rest of the imprisoned Demihumans, entering their cages to heal and console them. Some praised him, while others simply stared in shock and wonder. As Jesus finished up with some of the last of the Demihuman slaves, he turned his eyes to the final cage, which held the young Racoon girl with the broken and scared expression on her face.

She looked to be in a state of unawareness, failing to notice the miracles Jesus had performed to her fellow beastmen right before her.

Jesus opened the lock of the cage sealing the Racoon girl in, the child still continued to stare blankly down at the floor, her eyes void of emotion with the same dead expression she's had since he saw her.

He slowly approached her, his hand raised as he carefully raised his hand towards her. As he got closer, the Raccoon girl's pupils suddenly but slowly looked up at Jesus. Then suddenly, her eyes went wide as she backed away from Jesus, fear in her face as she silently hyperventilated under her breath.

Jesus's face remained calm and reassuring as he carefully approached her, gently stroking her cheek with his hand then moving it up to her head. As he felt through her forehead, Jesus saw through all the memories of this child.

Suddenly, he found himself standing by a cliff, the grass around him burning in flames as the sounds of screams of anguish pierced the air around him. Jesus found that he couldn't move, merely being able to observe the memory being played to him through the child's mind.

He saw Demihuman people run about by the village, fleeing the abominations that pursued them who would mindlessly kill them mercilessly and brutally. Then, he saw the Racoon girl emerge from one of the burning houses moments right before it collapsed. Two taller Demihumans hugged her between them, protecting her from the flames about as they quickly made a run away from the mob of beasts skirmishing the area. Jesus assumed these two to be the parents of this child, as his eyes followed them make their way towards where he stood, the look of fear on their faces becoming more detailed and visible as they approached.

Then from the corner of his eye, Jesus saw a large figure emerge from the flames within the small village, its huge body lumbering over the ruins of the burning houses, trampling over the collapsing debris with relative ease. As the beast moved the ground shook with every step it took, walking forward with the demeanor of a predator taking careful steps towards the area where its prey lay injured and defenseless. The beast had three heads that shared a close resemblance to that of a Doberman's, only its face appeared more fierce and monstrous.

The three Demihumans ran from the approaching beast, their faces filled with absolute terror as the beast slowly followed from behind.

The family then came to a sudden stop as they came to the edge of their village, a cliff facing the great sea ahead. The Demihumans looked back at the beast terror, their bodies shaking as they inched back closer to the edge, a small part of them hoping for the cliff to extend on for them to run to. But there was nowhere to go except down.

"I'm sorry... I couldn't protect you both..." Jesus heard the male Demihuman whisper to his child and wife as they all embraced each other, tears running down their cheeks as the beast approached them, its tongues hanging out from its mouth as its blood-red eyes looked down at them with an indifferent look.

Then the little girl tried to take another step back, not having noticed that there was no more ground for her to lay her foot on as she did so. Slipping and losing her balance, the girl lost her grip on her parents and fell back into the sea below, screaming at the top of her lungs as she watched the figures of her parents attempt to reach out for her, their faces filled with grief and terror as they were crushed by the giant beast. Then her body slammed into the water below, swallowing her whole and the impact sending vibrations throughout her body, with everything going dark.

Most would have died in this situation, yet for some reason, this girl lived. With the waves carrying her body away from the chaos and spitting her cold body out into a beach a good distance away from the screams.

Leaving the memory, Jesus looks at the girl who sat there before him, seeing the terrors she's been through and pitying her for having gone through such a thing. The sins of the world always targeted the innocent and weak, and in the reality of a free universe, there was no such thing as indestructible children who were exempted from the monstrosities that came with the beauty of this world.

"Cry no more little one, for I am with you..." Jesus whispered to her, running his hand down to her cheek as the scared expression on her face slightly eased. "Move past these memories and live anew, for eternal life awaits you."

Jesus then removes his hand from the girl and carefully steps out of the cage. The Racoon girl stares after him, the dead expression on her eyes had returned to their usual brown look, but the hurt was still there in her eyes, and Jesus knew that he wasn't done healing her yet.

With a small smile, Jesus offers a hand to the Raccoon girl, beckoning her to come out of her cage.

Carefully the Raccoon girl steps out of the cage, her whole body stiff as she looks at Jesus with pressed lips, unsure whether to trust this man or what. Yet despite the feeling of uncertainty she held, the girl reach out her hand and took Jesus's.

"What is your name?" Jesus then asks as soon as she took a hold of his hand.

There was a short pause before she took a gulp and answered in a low voice. "R-raphtalia."

"I see, Raphtalia... from now on your name shall be Rebekah, for you will be the noose that I shall use to join the people of this world together.

Rebekah simply looks at Jesus with confusion, but she dared not say another word to the man who was now her master.

Letting go of the girl's hand, Jesus turns to Beloukas and gives him a soft nod. "I am finished, let me pay you for your services."

The slave trader who had observed the whole scenario in silence nods in agreement, the crooked smile he usually wore gone from his face. "Right this way," Beloukas says beckoning back towards the tent's main area.

"Thomas, please help them along the way," Jesus says to Thomas as he beckoned with his eyes towards the chained up slaves standing around.

"Yes Teacher," Thomas replied as he went over to the oldest looking slave among all of them and guided her forward.

They arrived at the lobby of the tent, where the slave trader kept his other goods and where the reception area stood.

Beloukas ducked into the reception area and pulled out several dozen papers, flipping through them as he returned to Jesus. "Well, now that you're done with whatever the hell you were doing back there, all we have left to do now is to the deal with the papers for the payment and for me to set the slave seal on each of them-"

"That will not be necessary," Jesus cut off.

Beloukas looked at Jesus with a look of bewilderment on his face. "What- b-but Shield Hero... the slaves will not comply with you if-"

"I mean what I said," Jesus stated, looking Beloukas in the eye. "I do not practice in the ritual of kidnapping and taking people from their homes and forcing them into submission. That is a doctrine my Father would never teach and I will never ever force anybody to bow down and worship me, even if it were for their own good."

Beloukas stares at Jesus, his face completely shocked at what he just heard. He really was like the stories he's heard of the Shield Hero, yet he wasn't anything like what he had expected either.

Jesus takes the sack of silver from under his jacket and places it on the counter for Beloukas. "That will be enough for all of them I believed."

"I-I'll have to check first..." Beloukas stammered, fiddling with a couple of quills as he pushed forward a bunch of papers to Jesus. "While I'm dealing with this, please sign these papers..."

Jesus takes a quill from Beloukas and stares at the paper in front of him with absolute concentration. 'sign...' a word he knows from the storage of infinite knowledge God has provided but an action he wasn't familiar with. But he hears a whisper in his ear from a messenger from his father, explaining to him what it was and how to do it. Gripping the quill, Jesus carefully brought it onto the paper and wrote on it a signature of what was his name but in a strange form of cursive in Hebrew. Jesus then did this for the several other papers Beloukas had provided, trying to replicate the same signature he had made on the previous paper.

Finished, Jesus's eyes wander off to Beloukas counting the coins, seemingly still not finished and merely halfway done. With nothing to do, Jesus looks around the tent, looking at the shelves of eggs that had a sign hanging over it named 'Filolial,' and several other shelves with eggs of different names which Jesus presumed were different species of animals. There were also magical potions and scrolls on every shelf, each of them with their own purpose of either enslaving a defeated foe, or disciplining an already owned slave, plus several others Jesus did not want to describe.

Yet out of all these goods of tools used to control a person, a shelf of wooden sculptures just over the counter caught Jesus's eyes. They were delicate handmade figures of what appeared to be animals of this world and little houses with wooden-carved people inside. Curious, Jesus takes a closer look at the wooden carvings, leaning forward a bit to catch a better look at every detail.

"Who made those little wooden figures?" Jesus asks Beloukas, looking at him.

Beloukas looks up from his counting and glances back at the wooden carvings on the shelf behind him.

"Oh, those... they're nothing, something I make when I'm bored. Sold a few once for a decent price so figured why not make a few more to make a few silver with?"

"They seem far too detailed to be merely a hobby you do out of boredom," Jesus states, eyeing the wooden sculptures.

"Yeah yeah, I'm just that good... whatever," Beloukas says. "But my family has run this business for Heroes know how many years and have earned tons from it. Better than whatever the hell I would've ended up doing if I were still a dumb lad."

"I see," Jesus says, giving Beloukas a sad look.

"Yeah well, this you gave me is more than enough. You've still got a 100 silver left," Said Beloukas as he dumps the pile of silver into a barrel underneath the counter, returning to Jesus the silver he had leftover.

Jesus raises a palm towards Beloukas and shakes his head, he points towards the wooden carvings behind the shelf. "Please, I would like to purchase one of your carvings. They look extraordinary."

Beloukas looks up at Jesus and pauses for a second, before shrugging and grabbing a handful of silver from Jesus's stack and dumping them into the barrel below the counter.

"Alright, which one do you want?"

"That house with the family right next to the dragon," Jesus says, pointing to the small wooden house with three figures resembling a father, mother, and an infant. The carving strangely reminded him of the place of his birth in Bethlehem underneath the cover of the cold farm shed.

Beloukas grabs a stool from the side and opens it up, placing it on the ground and stepping onto it to grab the wooden carving off the shelf. Beloukas hands Jesus the carving and Jesus takes it into his hands, feeling the smooth edges and the texture of the carving, examining the details closer.

"You know, it's kinda strange to see something like that being sold in a slave tent," Thomas comments, appearing behind Jesus with his arms crossed.

"Ah mind your own business kid, I've got no other place to sell my other things," Beloukas puts out, eyeing Thomas with an annoyed look on his face. "And besides, plan on buying a new place to sell my other goods in once I can find a good place to rent out or buy."

"Yeah, alright," Thomas says shrugging and looking over to Jesus. "Are we done yet, teacher? the erm... slaves... seem to be getting stressed out from waiting."

"Just give me a moment Thomas, please wait with them till I return," Jesus tells Thomas.

Thomas follows and returns to the lobby where the slaves waited, still bound into the tent by restraining magic.

He then turns his attention back to Beloukas, offering his free hand to him. "I must say, these carvings of yours are truly amazing. A beautiful talent I must say," Jesus tells Beloukas.

The slave trader merely stares back at Jesus, his expression puzzled. "Hmm, what are you getting onto Shield Hero?"

"We are having a feast tonight at my friend Thomas's home, I invite you to come over and join us later to tell me more about your carvings and if you can perhaps show me how you make them?"

Beloukas eyes Jesus with an even more puzzled look, raising an eyebrow at him as he crosses his arms. "Huh, never thought I'd hear something like that in all my life. From the Shield Hero nonetheless... I suppose I could come later, but only for a price. My time is precious and not free."

Jesus smiles and scoops up the remaining coins he had into the empty sack he had kept the coins in earlier. He then stuffs it into a hidden pocket underneath his green cloak and bows his head at Beloukas in acknowledgment.

"Hmm, I suppose I could spare a few more for a little chat. I'll see you then."

Beloukas dusts his suit and turns away, occupying himself with picking up papers from the reception and moving them into a compartment underneath. "Yeah yeah, most of the feasts I attend are with nobles or friends, though to eat in whatever inn you plan on dining in is a bit far from my league, which is why I'd even charge you to have me eat there. Anyways... where is this place even?"

"Down in Clarmon street with a few blocks left of the town market in the direction of the red wagon that sells cheap fire-based potions."

"Oh... a street of the poor..." Beloukas mutters, looking over at Jesus with a frown. "I think I will have to pass on for this one Shield Hero."

"I'll pay you with 300 silver," Jesus tells him, causing the ears of the short man to perk up.

"3-300? T-thats... well... I suppose a few hours wouldn't hurt."

Jesus smiles and raises his hand at him in acknowledgment again. "Thank you, Beloukas, I will see you there. Come just before the evening bell rings."

"Yeah yeah, now get out of here, I have a business to run," Beloukas says exiting the reception table and heading out to the main room where Thomas and Jesus's newly bought slaves waited.

Beloukas muttered a spell under his breath and raised his hand towards the opening of the tent. The magical seal holding the slaves within the tent was temporarily opened as Beloukas hurriedly beckoned them out of the property.

"Alright now go, but I must ask again Shield Hero, are you sure you wouldn't prefer me having placed a slave seal on these things?"

Jesus shook his head, looking over at the demi-humans who quietly waited behind him, their eyes full of speculation and awe as they stared at the person who had healed and freed them.

"I am here now... so they are free."

xxx

Princess Malty refused to leave her room. Despite the pleas, she heard from the castle servants and the occasional knocks from her Father and the High priests, her door remained tightly locked. The Princess sat on the window seat in her room, looking through the tall, elegant marble glass and gazing at the castle grounds below her, and the houses that stretched across the kingdom. Everything looked so different, yet the same. Whenever she compared it with the faint memories she seemed to have long ago, it felt all so similar... yet, something was oddly different to her and she couldn't figure out why.

The huge empty gap she had in her mind gave an irritating feeling and caused her head to ache whenever she attempted to delve into her thoughts, trying to dig through whatever memories her mind may have salvaged.

She paced about the room, hands tightly gripping her head while she closed her eyes, trying to clear out her mind in order to ease the pain. But all it did was the opposite of what she hoped for.

Although she couldn't grasp whatever memories she may have had in the huge gap she had inside her mind, her memories from her childhood slowly filled up the spaces in her head. She remembered the times when her father was a drunkard and how her mother had mostly neglected her and attempted to "shape her up" whenever she was present. She also had a few memories of having gone to the castle school along with the children of a few nobles of Melromarc, which she had to leave due to never having interacted with the teacher or students.

But those memories didn't satisfy the searching in her mind as she gritted her teeth and rubbed the temple of her head with both her fingers. What the hell happened to the memories of her life? And most importantly, why did the name, Myne, stand out for her so much?

Malty gave an exasperated growl and fell down onto her bed, laying her head on her soft feathered pillow as she pressed both her index and long finger into her eyes, rubbing them until her vision became colorfully blind dazy.

Everything was just so tiring for her mind. Even the slightest sound sent her into a series of screaming and tantrums. She would throw her pillows at the door whenever the castle staff or the priests from the Church of the Three Heroes would come and knock on the door, asking her if she were fine, would like to come out or if they may enter and the latter.

She would always demand that they leave her alone, but no matter how many times she's told them to screw off, they always came back a few hours later stubbornly trying again to her despise.

Malty lifted up her arm and brought it up to cover her eyes, pressing them against her face.

She was a mess at the moment. Her hair was in tangles, her clothes got crumpled and her room was messier than when she had left it that morning.

Gritting her teeth, Malty lifted her arm from her face and gave out an agitated sigh. She stared at the ceiling above her, staring blankly at the white paint and looking over the little bumps the cement had left under the paint.

All Malty could do was try and ignore the pain in her head, but all it did was further remind her of the lingering pain which adds on to her already foul mood.

Why? Why was this happening to her? What can explain her situation now?

She remembered her father talking about some Shield Hero who put her into some sort of spell... a Shield Hero...

Sitting up, Malty concentrates her mind in an attempt to grasp the floating memory she felt within reach somewhere in the abyss of her memories. Letting out a puff from her nose, Malty furrowed her eyebrows and bit her lip, closing her eyes as she tried to remember what she could about some Shield Hero.

The name... or perhaps title seemed familiar to her... possibly a story she's heard of before during her childhood.

After a long moment of concentration, the memory finally popped back into Malty's head, and the Princess gave a sigh of relief to the feeling.

She remembered the story her mother and father used to tell her about the four cardinal heroes. The Sword, the Bow, the Spear, and the Shield Hero. They were beings from another world sent to help them in their times of need. While the Sword, Bow, and Spear were their main guardians, it was said that the Shield was an outcast who worked with the Demi-humans and Beastmen, it was said that the Shield was the devil himself and was always up to no good.

So if the Shield Hero has put a curse on her... perhaps...

Standing up, Malty made her way to the door and banged her fist onto it, "Hey! Hey! Is anybody out there?!"

In less than a second after she had called out, the sound of rushing footsteps could be heard from the other side of the door as multiple voices piped up.

"Y-yes Princess? Are you alright?" The voices of the servants responded.

Rolling her eyes, Malty replied, "Yes, I am. Though I want to know, the Shield Hero... where is he?"

"T-the Shield Hero? Erm, uh... I think it's best if you didn't-"

"I said where the hell is the Shield Hero, Damn it!" Malty roared, banging her fist against the door again which made the servants on the other side jump.

"P-princess! He's nothing worth knowing about! The King has already given him his punishment and he is being monitored closely within the kingdom-"

"So he's still here?" Malty cut off.

"Erm... yes..."

Without warning, Malty pushed open the door, startling the three servants standing outside.

With an irritated look on her face and a messy appearance she couldn't care for at all, Malty pushed past the servants and began marching down the hall, ignoring their calls as they followed after her.

"Princess- Princess! Is everything alright?"

"Princess Malty!

Malty quickly through the halls, taking long strides as she made her way down into the royal armory where they kept the equipment her and her parents equipment. The 2 men who stood guarding the entrance eyed malty coming from the corner, her eyes staring directly past them and at the door behind them.

"Uh, Princess Malty-" One of the guards started before being cut off by Malty who roughly pushed past him and pulled on the two large wooden doors sealing the armory which was locked shot.

"Open the damn door now!" Malty ordered to one of the guards whom reluctantly reached for the key behind his waist.

"Princess! What are you doing?" Cried out one of the butlers who shortly followed after her, clearly fatigued as he caught his breath from running.

The guard paused halfway to giving Malty the key as he looked up to the butler, confused as to what was happening.

Before he could even speak up, Malty snatched the key off his hand and shoved it into the keyhole, unlocking the door.

Malty swung the door open and marched in, making a beeline straight for her armour's display. As she took the armor off it's display and began putting it on, a couple of her servants followed her into the room, asking her what she was doing while their voices all overlapped in their panic, to which Malty paid no attention to.

After putting on her armor and swatting away the few hands her servants attempted to put on her, Malty opened a chest next to her display and pulled out a long silver sword with a golden hilt and a ruby at it's center.

"You there!" Malty called, pointing at one of the guards standing by the entrance who watched her with a confused look. "I want you to get me a dozen men with me in the next 5 minutes down at the great hall, I'm going to look for that damn shield hero!"

The guard blinked before slowly nodding his head upon receiving the orders and turning to leave, rushing to fulfil the Princess's orders.

Malty pushed past her servants who continued to follow her as she made her way down into the great hall. "I'm gonna find you, and you're gonna answer all my questions." Malty hissed under her breath.

xxx

"Are you sure you don't want any of us to come with you boss?" Asked the big burly man in his group named Askander.

Ren closed the door to his room and shook his head. "I already told you Askander, I am just going to go meet with the two other heroes for a chat. Besides, I am more than capable of taking care of myself," Ren said with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

Folding his arms, Askander nods his head and steps out of the way for Ren to move.

"Go eat and get some rest, tell the others too, we've got a lot to do tomorrow," Ren called back before descending down the stairs.

Upon descending down the stairs into the Inn's restaurant-bar, Ren was immediately engulfed into the room's loud and lively atmosphere.

Making a straight face, Ren immediately heads for the front door to avoid anybody recognizing him and striking up a conversation.

Pushing open the door, Ren passes by two big burly men deep in a lively conversation as he exited the building, making his way back towards the castle's main gate where he had promised to meet the other two to discuss in private the events in that had unfolded in front of them earlier that day.

They had just recently tried to help the King with his daughter the Princess earlier that day, seeing what magic they had that could "heal" her memory at level 1. But they didn't have much that they could use at such a low level, and even if they could, the Princess refused to open the door in her room and mostly ignored or yelled at them to go away.

Ren walked down into the bustling streets of the kingdom, the late afternoon sun casting a warm golden glow upon the cobblestone paths. His eyes mindlessly shifting from one of the many merchant stalls to another, observing the vibrant displays of goods that lined the marketplace. Mothers called out to their children, their voices blending with the lively hum of the crowd. It all felt so familiar yet utterly surreal.

As he walked, Ren recounted the memories of his life in Japan before being summoned into this world. He vividly recalled countless hours spent immersed in the virtual realm of Brave Star Online, battling fierce monsters and going about the game solo as he grinded quests to unlock new gear and max out his character's stats. The lines between the game he had been playing since the start of high school and reality had blurred, finally stepping foot into the very world he had once only experienced through a screen.

He remembered the excitement that he had felt surging through his veins the second he had been summoned and realized he was in an isekai fantasy world, though the serious expression on his face may not show it. This was every otaku's dream come true, just like the plots in several manga and anime that he's read back in Japan, to have a chance to live out one's gaming fantasies in a tangible, breathing world! He had relished in the sights and sounds surrounding him the moment he had stepped out of the castle, soaking in every detail—the ornate architecture of the buildings, the scent of freshly baked bread wafting from nearby taverns, the majestic animals that milled about and the magic that filled the air around him.

But as he walked, longer, ponderous thoughts began to fill Ren's mind. As much as he appreciated the situation that he's found himself in, he couldn't help but think from the back of his mind that the world he was in now wasn't anything like just staring at a computer screen and controlling a character who never grew tired and followed every command he made with his fingers simply pushing a few buttons on his keyboard. No, this was a reality now, and even if he may be as strong as the people of this world said he was, he was still a human. And being limited by his humanity, he knew he couldn't just rush into battle recklessely and make the risky plays that he did back in his game. This was his reality now, and if he did die... would he really die in the end? Or would he be sent back?

Ren felt a bit of unease swell in his heart as he realised this. The fate of this world also rested, in part, on his ability to rise to the challenges that lay ahead. But his doubt crept in—was he truly capable of fulfilling this role? Did he possess the strength and resilience necessary to fulfill his duty and combat the monsters that he was summoned here to fight all the while trying to stay alive?

He slowed his pace for a moment as his gaze fixes upon a statue in the center of a nearby square. It depicted the three heroic figures of the sword, spear and bow. The weapons and their wielders being a symbol of hope and valor for the people of this kingdom. But Ren couldn't help but wonder why the shield was nowhere to be seen in this kingdom, and why the common people seemed to despise him or his weapon, even going through the length of calling him a devil.

Ren remembered that the other summoned person who held the shield, the man claiming to be Jesus Christ himself, had told him how the people in this world already held a deep hatred for the Shield, but before he could further probe him to explain why, the King had immedietly cut him off and taken that chance away from him.

With a deep sigh, Ren continued forward, hoping the other two teenagers could come up with an explanation as to all the events unfolding before them in the few days they were here.

As Ren arrived at the agreed upon meeting place, he spotted Motoyasu and Itsuki already engaged in a conversation. With Motoyasu, gesturing animatedly at Itsuki as the bow hero listened to him with a slightly worn out smile.

Ren began to approach Motoyasu and Itsuki, the two still having not noticed him even as the sword hero had put himself by their sides. Ren noticed the fatigue etched on their faces as he stood next to them, seeming like the two had also went about hunting monsters and gaining exp just like he had earlier that day. He noticed the armor on Motoyasu was already slightly tarnished from recent clashes, from the size of the small cuts running across his armor that Motoyasu had been fighting with Goblins or something similar. Itsuki himself seemed exhausted, but didn't have any scratches on him, which Ren considered normal considering he had the bow after all, maybe it was his comrades who had been fighting in the front lines for him.

Itsuki's faced looked like he wanted to get away from Motoyasu's non-stop blabbering and fall into a bed somewhere. As his eyes wondered away from Motoyasu, looking for an excuse to leave the conversation, he finally takes notice of Ren with his eyes growing wide with relief.

"Ah, Ren."

Motoyasu stopped talking upon hearing Ren's name, looking at Itsuki then turning to look at where the Bow hero was looking. "Ren! There you are," Motoyasu called out enthusiastically with a smile.

Ren offered a weary smile as he joined them. "Sorry for the delay. I just dealt with some things with my party earlier"

Itsuki nodded in understanding. "It's nothing, we've been discussing our encounters and Motoyasu here's just been telling me what the game is like back from his world and other things as well."

Ren nodded, impulsively rubbing his hands together as his eyes fell to look at his shoes, he wasn't that much of a fan when it came to casual pointless talking in the first place. "Right, I see. Honestly, I never imagined being transported to an isekai world would actually become a reality, it's rather strange honestly..."

Motoyasu let out a chuckle. "Yeah, it's definitely not as straightforward as those light novels and anime we used to read back home. But hey, at least we get to experience things firsthand."

Itsuki leaned back, a thoughtful expression on his face. "That's true. Being summoned as heroes has its perks, at least we got summoned as humans and not some other kind of race or strange object like in some of those other stories that I've read... not sure about how the stories are like for you guys from wherever you came from though.:

Ren sighed, his gaze drifting across the bustling streets as he tried to come up with some other things to add to the conversation. "Yeah, might be the same given we're all from Japan."

Seeing as how the conversation has begun to die, Motoyasu placed a hand on both the other two boys soldiers and gave them a smile. "Hey, it's nice talking about our original worlds and all, but it's better that we take this to the restaurant. Afterall, wasn't this the original reason why we're meeting up in the first place?"

"Yeah, you're right," Ren agreed, turning away to begin walking down the street. "Let's go find a place to eat then."

Motoyasu raised an eyebrow at the already retreating Ren, his expression a bit astonished. "Hey, leaving already? Wait up!"

As the trio walked through the vibrant late afternoon streets, they couldn't help but marvel at the sights and sounds of this new world. Especially at the closing market stalls that lined the cobblestone roads filled with all kinds of delicacies of all sorts.

Itsuki's stomach rumbled, and he rubbed it sheepishly. "I don't know about you guys, but I could use some food right about now. Anybody have an idea where to even look for a good place to eat?"

Motoyasu's eyes lit up with enthusiasm. "I heard from one of the girls on my team that there's a popular restaurant nearby that serves delicious local cuisine. Let's give it a try."

Following Motoyasu's suggestion, the trio embarked on their quest to satisfy their hunger and explore the town. The narrow streets led them through a maze of shops, bustling with activity and curious onlookers as Motoyasu constantly stopped the ask directions from the locals, to whom the locals more than gladly helped, considering that they were the Three Heroes themselves.

After asking for directions, they soon found themselves standing in front of a quaint restaurant with a cozy atmosphere. The inviting aroma of cooked meat and aromatic herbs wafted from its open doors that bustled with customers, enticing them further.

Entering the establishment, they were greeted by a friendly waitress who showed them to a table near a large window overlooking the busy street. They settled in, feeling a sense of relief as they embraced the comfort of their surroundings.

As Motoyasu conversed with the blushing waitress about the kinds of food they have in the restaurant, Itsuki couldn't help but let out a contented sigh. "It feels good to take a break, even if it's just for a little while. We've been through so much since arriving here."

Noticing that Itsuki was talking to him, being the only one who wasn't in a conversation among the three, Ren quickly nodded, his gaze adverting from Itsuki as it stared out the window. "I never thought I'd be a part of an isekai adventure... honestly. It's both thrilling and tiring at the same time. But I'm grateful for the chance to even be here, I know plenty of others would kill to be in our situation."

Itsuki chuckled, his eyes scanning then looking over at Motoyasu who seemed to be flirting more with the waitress rather than ordering their food for them." "Tell me about it. Back home, I was just an average guy obsessed with video games in the virtual world. Now, I'm wielding a spear and fighting monsters. It's like living being in the game itself, but this time, it's a really intense game with lifelike graphics, sensitivity and realistic npcs!"

Ren smiled, his weariness from talking momentarily forgotten. "I guess this really is our chance to finally live out our dreams then."

Their conversation was interrupted by Motoyasu, who looked over at them with a huge grin on his face as he pointed a thumb at the waitress. "She told me the best they had on the house was this steak like sandwich that should be a burger, I guess, served with some of their local veggies was what we should eat. Unless you guys have anything else in mind?"

Itsuki looked over at Ren who shrugged.

"I guess we'll give that a try then," Itsuki said with a small smile to which the waitress responded back with a bigger one.

She then immedietly took their orders and left briefly. As they waited for their food to arrive, Motoyasu began to tell them about stories of his adventures earlier that day and how attractive the three members in his party was, while Itsuki and Ren shared mostly small parts of what they went through that day.

The restaurant buzzed with activity, filled with laughter and conversation. The warmth of the atmosphere seeped into their bones, easing the weight of their burdens.

But as the time went on and their food arrived, Ren felt it was time that they tackled the elephant in the room and talk about what they had originally come here to do.

"I never thought I would meet Jesus Christ in my lifetime, let alone in another world of all places. It's mind-boggling."

Motoyasu's cool and cheerful expression switched to a more serious expression as he looked over at Ren. "Well, I'm not particularly religious, but even I know that Christianity is an ancient religion. Back in my world, it seemed to be fading away slowly from what I heard in the internet. Though, I never imagined it would have any significance here, let alone run into a guy claiming to be God from that religion."

Itsuki, nodded in agreement. "Yeah, but Christianity is one of the biggest religions in my world. Honestly, I've always respected people's beliefs, even though my family and I are not personally religious. Some of my friends and family are Christians though from my knowledge."

Ren leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on the flickering candle in the center of the table as he played with his half eaten "burger" with his fork. Memories from his past flooded his mind, ones that didn't taste well in the flavor of his mind, these memories mingling with the present. "I grew up in a Christian household, despite it being a minority religion in my world. I was taught things as a child that brought me comfort and a sense of purpose. But over time, I saw corruption within the church and its people, and my parents... they weren't exactly the kindest believers. It made me question everything."

Motoyasu's eyes widened, his curiosity piqued. "Well geez Ren, I'm sorry to hear that. But now that you mention it, I have to ask what do you think about this Shield Hero guy who claims to be Jesus then? Since you used to be Christian yourself?"

Ren sighed dropping his fork on his plate and running a hand through his messy hair. "Honestly, I don't know what to think. It's such a bizarre claim. If he really is Jesus Christ, it would mean that everything I thought I knew about Christianity was wrong, or at least different from what I was taught. It's hard to wrap my head around it."

Itsuki interjected, his voice filled with introspection. "But isn't religion supposed to be about faith? From what i know, It's not always about facts and logical explanations. Maybe we should consider the possibility that the Shield Hero is maybe a religious guy himself, though a crazy one perhaps, who truly believes he is Jesus. Whether or not it's true, his belief that he's Jesus could be what drives him to claim that he is Jesus. It's not out of the picture since I'm sure you've had people like them claim to be Jesus from your worlds."

"You mean the guys claiming that the world would end if we didn't believe and repent?" Motoyasu said, taking a bite out of his "burger".

Ren considered Itsuki's words, his brow furrowing in contemplation. "You have a point. Religion is deeply personal and subjective. It means different things to different people. Perhaps the Shield Hero's faith, whether genuine or delusional, could be the reason that he spouts such claims. Though..."

Ren remembers how the Shield guy had stated that he knew that Ren used to be religious, and it still shocked him how he knew that despite it being one of his most locked up memories in the back of his head. Even he tries his best to forget any affiliation he had with Christianity.

"Though what?" Motoyasu asks with food in his mouth, looking over at Ren and glancing back down at his food.

Ren shook his head, leaving his thoughts to be thoughts. "It's nothing, perhaps Itsuki's right, maybe he's just a delusional fanatic."

That's right, perhaps the Shield Hero guy has certain magic abilities that they didn't have and used it to screw with him. Considering that this world had magic, it wasn't outside the realm of possibility.

Motoyasu scratched his head, his blonde hair falling over his eyes. "I don't know about that, but if that's true then I do feel sorry for the guy. Must be tough being crazy and sick in the head. Hope he doesn't go around causing more trouble then."

Ren nodded in agreement. "It's a valid point. But still, he did tell me that the people of this country hated the people who had the Shield. And if you'd take a look around you, don't you notice the absence of statues or anything relating to the Shield?"

Motoyasu looked at him, perplexed at first before taking another bite off his "burger" and shrugging. "Eh who knows, maybe he isn't as worshipped or we just aren't looking hard enough."

Seeing the logic in his reasoning, Ren shrugs. If the guy truly is delusional, then it shouldn't be out of the realm of possibility that the Shield Hero isn't that worshipped here, similar to how some religions back at home worked.

Itsuki leaned forward, his voice filled with concern "Yeah but guys, if the Shield guy is indeed Jesus Christ, then what does that mean for the world we're in now? Does it change the course of our mission? And what about the people of this world? You think he'll go around trying to teach them a religion like that?"

Ren sighed, realizing how bizarre the situation itself seemed. The 4th hero that they had was possibly a crazy fanatic whose going to spout some stupid junk to these unsuspecting people. "Look, I don't have all the answers, but I think it's essential that we investigate this guy further. We need to look into whatever this guy does and keep an eye out on him, cause if he truly is crazy, then we'll have a problem in our hands."

"Right, can't have somebody screwing up our missions when we're going to fight those so called waves the King mentioned." Motoyasu agreed.

As the hours passed, their discussions changed as the three teens began to talk more about their past lives, the kind of world they lived in and the kinds of game they were playing before being summoned into this world.

It seemed like to Ren, the world he came from was the least technologically advanced out of the three of them. With Itsuki coming from a world that had already invented virtual reality like headsets and Motoyasu's planet which had a similar concept though less advanced.

Ren had been playing Brave Star Online on a computer, not the flashiest one, but one he had built himself from the money he's earned working a part time job at a local grocery store.

It was a modest setup compared to the advanced gaming consoles and virtual reality headsets his the other two guys had experienced. Ren found himself listening intently to their tales of cutting-edge technology and immersive gaming experiences, feeling a mix of awe and envy.

As the conversation continued, the aroma of the liquor began to fill the air as the night came in and the customers looking for a drink began to fill in the restaurant. The smell tantalised their senses, as most of them have never drank in their life.

Motoyasu finished up his "burger", savoring every bite, then sucking the sauce and oil from his finger as he finished. "This honestly tastes incredible! I can't believe they have such amazing food here. It's nearly as good as the food we had back in Japan, especially considering this is a medieval world we're in right now.

Itsuki nodded in agreement while sampling a bowl of the local vegetables they had been served with. "Yeah, the flavors are remarkable on these vegetables, I never expected them to taste this good in this new world, especially since they look nothing like the salad back home. It's like the food in video games you wished you could eat but couldn't."

Ren too relishwd the flavors of the dishes laid before them. He couldn't help but smile as the food brought a sense of comfort and familiarity amidst to him. "You're right. It's like a taste of home, though I honestly prefer Katsudon over this."

"Alright, now that we've pretty much discussed everything we needed to discuss, why don't we try some of their drinks?" Motoyasu suggested, grinning at the two other boys who looked at each other.

"You mean drink their ale or alcohol?" Itsuki asked, looking a bit worried as he asked Motoyasu.

Motoyasu shrugged. "Yeah, and it shouldn't matter? We're in a different world after all, no rules stopping you from drinking under 18 or 21 or whatever the rules were like back at your world.

"Sure, why not," Ren said, nodding at Motoyasu who gave him a gleeful grin.

Itsuki looking a bit more unsure, nodded relucantly. "Alright... I guess I''ll give it a go."

Motoyasu smiled at Itsuki, giving him a thumbs up. "That's the spirit, don't worry, I'll talk with them and tell them to give us the best but drinks they've got!"

Motoyasu stood up to walk over to the bar and order their drinks. As soon as he came back, their drinks arrived shortly after and the boys drank their first ale in another world.

"So, how do you guys find it?" Motoyasu asked, wiping his mouth after he put down his mug.

"I'm not a fan of the taste." Itsuki said, putting down his mug and making a face as he looked at the drink.

"It's alright." Ren replied.

Motoyasu looked over at Ren and gave him a small smile. "Hey, so you mean to tell me you're a regular drinker then?"

Ren shook his head. "I've drank before with my cousin, but other than that, not really, didn't have the money or the time to spend drinking with friends."

Motoyasu nodded his head. "I see, well Itsuki if you aren't going to finish that pass it over here."

As the night went on, the conversation then shifted to their future plans in this new world. They discussed their goals, the skills they wanted to develop, and the challenges they anticipated from the waves. They shared strategies they had learned from their gaming experiences, drawing parallels between their virtual adventures and the potential obstacles they might face in their real-life journey.

As the last of their drinks were consumed, the atmosphere shifted to a sense of contentment and satisfaction. It was time to say their goodbyes and part ways, each heading back to their respective places of accommodation.

Ren wiped his mouth with a napkin and looked at Motoyasu and Itsuki. "Thanks you guys for coming along, it was good."

Motoyasu grinned and extended his hand to Ren. "Absolutely! We're stuck in this world together, might as well hang out whenever we aren't out adventuring. We'll meet again soon, I'm sure."

Itsuki nodded, rubbing his tired eyes as he smiled. "Yeah, let's make the most of our experiences, grow stronger and create our own legends in this world."

Tired, they bid each other farewell and stepped out of the restaurant, returning to the respective inns they were spending the night at. The night sky enveloped them, sprinkled with stars that glimmered throughout the night.

As Ren made his way to his inn, he couldn't help but continue thinking about that Jesus fellow and everything that's happened that day. What if he was legit? What if he wasn't crazy and this guy really is Jesus? What would he say? What would he ask him? Would he bed mad, or full of wonder?

Shaking his head, Ren excused himself thinking it was just the alcohol kicking in. Whatever it was, they'll find out soon enough.

xxx

Rose wiped the sweat from her brow as she scrubbed the worn wooden floors of their humble abode. The small, dilapidated cottage was a far cry from the grand palaces and mansions she had heard stories about. But it was home, and she was grateful for what little they had.

Her daughter, Sophia, was diligently dusting the shelves that adorned the walls. The shelves were filled with worn-out books and trinkets, remnants of a time when their family had been better off. Sophia's small hands carefully wiped away the layers of dust, revealing a glimmer of the memories they held.

As they worked side by side, Rose couldn't help but ponder the events of the day. It had all started when Thomas, her eldest son, had encountered a man known as the Shield Hero. He claimed to be Jesus Christ, the Son of God, sent to aid those in need. Rose found it hard to fathom that such a powerful being would pay any attention to their destitute family.

"Mother, do you think Jesus will really bring us a feast?" Sophia's voice broke through Rose's thoughts.

Rose paused for a moment, gazing at her daughter with a mixture of hope and uncertainty. "I'm not sure, my dear. But even if it's just a small meal, we should be grateful for the generosity shown to us."

Sophia nodded, her youthful eyes filled with determination. "I will do my best to make this house shine, Mother. We want to show Jesus that we appreciate his kindness."

Rose smiled, her heart swelling with pride. Despite their circumstances, Sophia always found a way to see the silver lining. Rose continued her cleaning, trying to make the house look presentable for their unexpected guest.

As they moved from room to room, Rose couldn't help but think about the Shield Hero whom she had been told was a devil incarnate had just lifted them out of poverty by providing them with 1000s of silver with just a mere utter of his voice. And she recalled how his mere presence exuded an aura of warmth and serenity when she was around him, as if she could easily trust him at instant. The way he spoke with Thomas, guiding him and sharing his wisdom, it all left Rose in awe.

But it was more than that. There was something about the Shield Hero that tugged at her soul. It was as if his very existence defied all reason and logic. How could someone so powerful and divine take notice of their impoverished family?

As they worked, Rose finally found the courage to speak her thoughts aloud. "Sophia, have you ever heard of anything like this before? A man who claims to be the son of God, performing miracles and offering help?"

Sophia paused in her task, contemplating her mother's question. "No, Mother. It's something out of a storybook. I've read the Three Heroes themselves did the sort of thing, but I've never seen it in person."

Rose nodded, her mind swirling with conflicting emotions. "Yes, my dear. Miracles can happen to anyone. But why us? What have we even done to deserve this? We're nobody..."

Sophia looked at her mother, making a face as she thought up a response. "Well, maybe it's not about what we've done mother, but what we can become? Perhaps the Shield Hero sees potential in all of us to help him in his journey here? No matter our circumstances. Maybe he sees something in us that we can't see ourselves."

Rose was silent for a moment, her daughter's words sinking deep into her heart. Sophia's youthful wisdom held a truth she couldn't deny. Maybe, just maybe, there was something greater at play, something beyond their understanding.

The hours passed, and the house began to transform from a shabby dwelling into a welcoming home. The aroma of meager but carefully prepared food filled the air, as Rose and Sophia laid out what little they had on the modest dining table.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm glow through the worn curtains, Rose's heart fluttered with anticipation. She couldn't help but feel a mixture of gratitude, hope, and a touch of fear. The thought of having a feast she had not experienced in so long with the Shield Hero, the man claiming to be called Jesus Christ, the son of the creator all life, face to face was both exhilarating and overwhelming.

A knock at the door brought Rose out of her reverie. Sophia rushed to open it, revealing the man who had changed their lives in the span of a day. Jesus stood there, his eyes filled with kindness and compassion.

"Welcome, Jesus," Rose managed to say, her voice filled with gratitude and awe. Then her eyes trailed of to a scene that utterly confused her.

Standing behind Jesus were about 2 dozen dozen demihumans of all ages and sizes, wearing worn rags for clothes and anxious looks on their faces.

"We've brought some guests..." Thomas said, with an unsure smile as Rose stepped up right next to her daughter, concern on her face.

They had gotten a wild mix of looks and curses from the people they passed by with the huge crowd of demihumans they tugged along. They even had some stuff thrown at them. Thomas had worried that his family's reaction might end up being the same as that of the others, their faces with disgust.

Jesus smiled, his presence bringing a sense of peace that enveloped the room. He gestured over at Thomas who held two bags that were filled with food of all sorts. "Thank you for opening your home to me, Rose. Please, let us share this meal together and rejoice in the blessings we have."

Jesus then gestured toward the demihumans behind him. "And these are my friends, they are in need of help and companionship. Just as I've shown kindness to your family, I want you to extend the same to them."

Rose's heart swelled with conflicting emotions. She felt indifferent for the demihumans, yet her upbringing and societal norms had instilled a deep-rooted unease around creatures different from humans. Demihumans were beings with both human and animal traits, considered by many to be lesser beings.

Sophia, too, looked unsure, glancing at her mother, then back at Jesus and the demihumans. She had heard stories of demihumans being aggressive towards humans, and so they were ostracized and treated with cruelty in other parts of the country, and the sight of them in their home was both intriguing and discomforting.

Thomas, on the other hand, appeared to be caught in a whirlwind of emotions—confused, intrigued, and eager to understand why Jesus had bought, freed and brought these seemingly marginalized beings to their home.

Jesus could sense their apprehension and gently addressed their unspoken thoughts. "I understand that this may be challenging for you. Society has conditioned many to fear or discriminate against those who appear different. But I brought them here to show you that love and compassion should know no bounds, that we are all equal in the eyes of my father."

Thomas finally spoke up, his voice laced with the curiosity he's had in his head the whole time he had accompanied the Shield Hero. "But why us, teacher? Why did you choose our family to be a part of this feast you have with these demihumans?"

Jesus smiled warmly at Thomas. "You see, my dear Thomas, your family has already experienced a miracle. The silver you received was not just a gift; it was a sign. You may think you are nobody, but I see the potential in each of you to bring forth goodness into the world. Your hearts are pure, and your love for each other shines brightly. I chose you because you have the capacity to show compassion, even in the face of challenges."

"But why the demihumans?" Rose finally mustered the courage to ask, her voice tinged with unease.

Jesus looked at the demihumans, then back at Rose, his eyes filled with unwavering love. "Because they are my brothers and sisters too. They, too, have stories, hopes, and dreams. Unfortunately, many have turned a blind eye to their struggles. But I see their worth, just as I see yours. By bringing them into your home, I hope to break down the barriers that divide us and foster understanding and acceptance."

Rose took a deep breath, attempting to process the profound words. She knew her daughter was right—miracles had happened to them, and they were being called upon to share their blessings with others. The weight of the responsibility felt heavy, but the warmth in Jesus' presence gave her courage.

Sophia looked at the demihumans with newfound compassion. "I see it now, Mother. I guess what he's trying to say is that they're just like us, trying to survive and find happiness in this world..."

Rose nodded, a tear of realization trailing down her cheek. "You're right, Sophia. I guess it is time for us to embrace the unexpected and open our hearts to those who need our help."

With a mix of emotions, Rose and Sophia welcomed the demihumans into their home, offering them a seat at the table that shared their meager feast.

The demihumans looked at each other and at the Shield Hero with concern, unsure whether to enter.

Jesus smiled reassuringly at them, his eyes filled with compassion. "Please, come in. There's nothing to fear. You are among friends here."

One of the white-haired demihuman siblings, a young girl with puppy-like ears, took a cautious step forward after her brother, who instinctively grabbed at her wrist, looking panicked.

"Are you sure it's alright?" She timidly asked, wincing in pain from her brother's grip who tightened it even more.

Rose nodded, her heart softening at the girl and her brother's worried expression. "Of course, dear. We welcome you with open hearts."

As the other demihumans cautiously entered the cottage, Thomas set the bags of food on the table, gesturing for them to take a seat.

"Oh shoot, looks like we're gonna need more seats." Thomas commented, seeing as how there are just too many of them.

Rose and Sophia exchanged glances, silently agreeing to make the demihumans feel as comfortable as possible.

"I'll go check in the back," Sophia said, turning to look into their storage as Thomas followed to assist his sister."

Rose then spoke up, trying to break the tension in the air. "I'm Rose, and those two are my children, my eldest Thomas, and my daughter Sophia. Erm, and who are all of you?"

A moment of silence followed, before one of the demihumans introduced themselves. He was a burly man with bear-like features, he hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I'm Gruff," he said briefly, avoiding eye contact. "Thank you for letting us share your food. We haven't had a proper meal in a long time."

Jesus looked at the big demihuman and remembered how he had lost both his arms and was greatly injured, he had found him sitting at the corner of his cage, looking depressed. Jesus felt pity for these demihumans, but was glad that they were receiving some kindness after all the hate they've endured.

Rose smiled warmly at him. "You're welcome, Gruff. We're happy to share what we have."

Another Demihuman stepped forward, a bird-like being with blue feathers. He nervously rubbed his wings together, looking uncertain on what he should say.

As the evening progressed, the atmosphere in the cottage became more relaxed. The demihumans started sharing their experiences and how they had faced discrimination and hardship in their lives. They spoke of their hopes for a better future, of finding a place where they could be accepted for who they were.

Rose listened intently, her heart going out to each one of them. The walls of prejudice she had unknowingly built around her began to crumble, replaced with empathy and understanding.

Thomas, who had been quiet for most of the time, finally opened up. "I've heard stories about the Three Heroes and their adventures. I never imagined I would be sitting with beings like you, experiencing something similar."

The demihumans looked surprised, not expecting such a warm response. Gruff smiled at Thomas. "Aye, lad. We may be different, but we share the same dreams of finding acceptance and happiness."

Jesus watched with pride as the barriers between the family and the demihumans continued to break down. He had seen the potential for compassion and understanding in Rose and her family, and he knew that this meeting was an opportunity for both sides to learn from each other.

"Um, I'm Feather," he stuttered, glancing at the other demihumans for support. "Thank you for giving us a chance, ma'am."

"You don't need to thank us, Feather," Rose replied with genuine kindness. "We believe in treating everyone with respect and dignity."

Feather looked visibly relieved, and the tension in the room began to ease. The other demihumans started introducing themselves as well, their apprehension slowly giving way to a sense of belonging.

Jesus smiled, witnessing the transformation taking place before his eyes. "It warms my heart to see all of you coming together. You are not alone in your struggles. This family has learned the power of compassion, and I hope you find comfort and companionship here."

A timid young demihuman, a girl with fox-like ears, raised her hand slightly, looking hesitant to speak. "I'm Luna," she said softly. "I've never met humans who treated us kindly before."

Rose's heart sank at Luna's words, realizing the extent of the cruelty the demihumans had endured. "I'm sorry to hear that, Luna. But you are safe here, and we promise to treat you with respect and kindness."

Sophia returned with a couple of makeshift seats, and soon the demihumans were seated around the table. As they began to eat, the atmosphere in the room shifted from uncertainty to warmth. Laughter and conversations filled the air, as stories of their respective journeys and experiences were shared.

Jesus listened attentively to their tales, providing words of encouragement and wisdom along the way. He told them parables of acceptance and love, stories that resonated deeply with the demihumans, making them feel understood and valued.

As the night wore on, the initial unease disappeared, and genuine friendships began to form between Rose's family and the demihumans. They realized that despite their outward appearances, they were all beings with hopes, dreams, and the desire for acceptance.

Gruff, who had initially been reserved, started sharing stories of bravery and loyalty from his past, having served in one of the Demihuman kingdoms armies, although he didn't reveal the country he came from. Feather revealed his passion for music, having been a travelling bard before being captured, and Luna expressed her love for nature and her desire to learn more about human customs after having met Thomas and his family.

Although most of the adults were talking, Jesus noticed that the 3 younger Demihumans he had freed remained quiet the entire time. The two siblings sat at the far corner of the table next to each other, busy wolfing down the food provided to them, but mostly keeping to themselves, glancing up every once in a while when Gruff roared from laughter.

The other racoon Demihuman girl, whom Jesus named Rebekah and had seen an important planned future ahead of her, having seen a vision from his father. She sat quietly next to him, watching the people converse having finished her food. She would slightly smile every once in a while, but she remained quiet.

"Have some more food," Jesus suddenly said to her, taking her plate and grabbing a handful of bread, meat and vegetables. He knew her stomach was still growling having been underfed all that time she was in that cage.

Rebekah looked at the food with uncertainity for a second, looking anxiously at Jesus who gave her a smile and nod.

She reluctantly took the plate and began eating, wolfing down its content in minutes.

Thomas was amazed at how easily he connected with the demihumans, despite the fact he looked at the demihuman slaves as blubbering messes of fear and pitifulness whenever he saw them out at the street, yet here he was, sharing stories with the very beings that he saw scattered all over the street.

"You all have incredible stories to tell," he said, looking at them with newfound respect. "It's amazing how wrong I was about you all before, we can learn so much from each other."

Sophia nodded, her heart swelling with happiness. "Yes, it is. I honestly used to think you were just creatures and aggressive beings who hated us and always started war, but now I see you as friends, oh how wrong I was."

Jesus smiled at the scene before him, his heart filled with joy. "That's the power of understanding and empathy. When we open our hearts to others, we find common ground and form meaningful connections."

Rose then stood up, a newfound sense of purpose guiding her. "I want you all to know that you're welcome here anytime," she said, her voice firm with conviction. "Our home is your home, and we will stand by you."

The demihumans looked at each other, their eyes filled with gratitude. They had experienced a level of kindness they had never known before.

"Thank you," Luna whispered, her eyes shimmering with tears. "You have no idea what this means to us."

Jesus stood up, his eyes brimming with pride. "And I want to thank Rose, Sophia, and Thomas for their open hearts and willingness to embrace the unknown. You have all shown the true meaning of compassion and love."

Then suddenly, there was a knock at the door. All eyes turned as Jesus stood up to answer, already knowing who had come.

Beloukas stood at the door, the expression on his face bored. "Good evening shield hero... I see you've already made yourselves at home." Beloukas commented, eyeing the Demihumans behind Jesus with unease as they eyed him back with pure hatred.

"It's great to have you here Beloukas, please come in!" Jesus said, gesturing the plump man inside who cautiously entered, murmuring something under his breath.

As Beloukas settled at the corner of the table between Sophia and Jesus, an awkward tension hung in the air. They exchanged wary glances with Beloukas, whose presence seemed to ignite a mixture of fear, resentment and pure hatred among them.

Jesus, ever the compassionate mediator, attempted to bridge the gap. "Beloukas, I saw that you have a talent for carving. Your wooden creations are quite remarkable. Could you tell us more about them?"

Beloukas, momentarily taken aback by the unexpected attention, cleared his throat. "Ah, yes. Those were just some wooden figurines I carve in my free time. Helps keep my mind busy, you know," he replied, trying to sound nonchalant.

Jesus smiled warmly, genuinely interested in Beloukas' craft. He pulled out the wooden carving that he had bought earlier from Beloukas raising it above the table for everybody to see. "They are beautiful works of art. The attention to detail is impressive."

Thomas' family watched the exchange with mixed feelings. On one hand, they were grateful for the Shield Hero's attempt to connect with Beloukas, but on the other hand, they were aware of the history between him and the demihumans.

One of the demihumans, a fiery-looking creature with dragon-like features, couldn't hold back his bitterness any longer. "Wooden carvings or not, he's still a snake in the grass! Can't believe we're sitting here with him."

Beloukas shot back, his temper flaring. "Savage creatures like you wouldn't know art if it hit you in the face! I'd rather share a room with insects than you lot!"

Sophia gasped at the harsh exchange, her eyes darting from one side of the table to the other. "Everyone, please, let's calm down. We're all guests in this home," she implored, trying to diffuse the tension.

But the anger in the room had reached its peak, and the demihumans, fueled by years of oppression, couldn't hold back their resentment. They started hurling insults at Beloukas, reminding him of his past as the owner of a slave tent that sold them and others like them.

"You sold us like cattle! You are no better than the monsters that hunted us!" One of the demihumans cried out, his eyes blazing with fury.

Beloukas' face reddened with anger, but he tried to maintain a composed facade. "Oh, spare me your sob stories! You're no angels either. Savages like you don't deserve kindness or sympathy."

Jesus, his voice steady and calm, intervened, trying to quell the escalating animosity. "Hatred will not lead us anywhere. It is time to forgive, to let go of the past, and move towards a more harmonious future."

The demihumans glared at Beloukas with defiance, their pain still raw and unhealed. But they respected Jesus and reluctantly held back their anger, though their expressions remained hardened.

Rose and Thomas exchanged concerned glances, knowing that the situation could quickly spiral out of control. "Please, everyone, we are all here in good faith. Let's try to find understanding and empathy for each other," Rose pleaded, hoping to bring about some semblance of peace.

Beloukas, still simmering with anger, finally stood up, his chair scraping loudly against the wooden floor. "I didn't come here to be insulted by these creatures! I've had enough," he declared, ready to storm out of the house.

Jesus reached out a hand, his voice gentle yet firm. "Beloukas, please stay. You possess a unique talent for carving wooden figures, and I'm genuinely interested in learning from your craftsmanship."

Beloukas hesitated for a moment, his eyes locking with Jesus' compassionate gaze. After a long silence, he reluctantly sat back down, but the resentment in his heart remained.

The atmosphere in the room had shifted from warmth and camaraderie to one of discomfort and tension. Rose and Sophia felt the discomfort surrounding the room as the mood had shifted to a darker one that directed towards Beloukas.

In a last-ditch effort to bring some positivity back, Thomas spoke up, trying to change the topic of conversation. "Beloukas, erm, those carvings of yours look amazing. Have you ever considered selling them?"

Beloukas' anger subsided slightly as he looked at Thomas, appreciating the attempt to change the subject. "Well, yes, they're just a hobby of mine but I sell them occasionally," he replied. "Although it's not like these creatures would appreciate true artistry."

The demihumans exchanged glances, bristling at the insult. Gruff, who had been more vocal earlier, clenched his fists in anger. "We may not be human, but that doesn't mean we can't appreciate or create art. We have our own talents and skills."

Thomas could see the situation worsening, and he tried to steer the conversation away from sensitive topics. "Perhaps we could all learn something from each other. I believe that different perspectives can lead to beautiful collaborations."

Beloukas scoffed, clearly not convinced. "Collaborate with them? I'd rather be alone in my workshop than waste my time with savages."

Jesus, ever the peacemaker, interjected once more. "Beloukas, I understand that you have had your differences, but I believe that everyone can change. Just as you have been shown kindness and given a chance to start anew, we should extend the same to others. We all have the potential for growth and understanding."

"What? Kindness?" Beloukas scoffed, standing up from his seat. "I had agreed to come here to feast, not to be lectured. I have no plans on changing what I'm doing Shield Hero, and I have no regrets doing it whatsoever."

Beloukas huffed his chest and turned to leave the house. Earning a collective cheer from the Demihumans who laughed at his departure.

"Yeah, good riddance you monster!" Gruff called out, banging his hand onto the table, startling Sophia.

Jesus looked at Thomas, who was halfway through standing up and following him when Jesus had gestured for him to stay put with the others.

Nodding but with a look of concern on his face, Thomas sat back down and turned to the Demihumans as Jesus followed the Beloukas out the door.

Closing the front door behind him shut, Jesus followed the short man who had began marching off through the street.

"Beloukas!" Jesus called, following behind him.

"Leave me alone Shield Hero, this is not what I had in mind when I had met you. Now I don't want to have anything to do with you anymore!"

"Beloukas," Jesus repeated. "I just want to talk to you."

Beloukas stopped, turning around to face Jesus with an annoyed look on his face. "Alright, hurry it up, but then I'm out of here!"

"Beloukas, I know that your business is a family owned one, and you feel that it is your duty as one of the sons to expand and grow your empire for your family. But what you're doing is wrong."

"Agh, I have no time for this Shield Hero!" Beloukas spat back. "So what if my family owns the business? What's it matter to you? All I care about is the money and fortune it would bring!"

"Yes, I know. Which is why you had agreed with the Queen when she had requested you to come search for me to provide me with slaves. And you know that as time went on, due to my history and the power the Shield possesses, that I would grow famous and that due to my notoriety and the quality slaves you would've sold me that your business would then boom."

Beloukas looked at Jesus with shock, that was exactly his plan for the Shield Hero, how did he know?

"H-how did you..." Beloukas started.

Jesus turned and gestured Beloukas towards a set of stairs nearby.

"Come, let's have a seat Beloukas, I just want to talk with you."

Intrigued and suspicious, Beloukas relucantly stepped forward and took a seat next to Jesus on the cold stone steps.

As Beloukas settled on the cold stone steps, Jesus took a deep breath, preparing himself for the challenging conversation ahead. He knew Beloukas was stubborn and deeply entrenched in his beliefs, but he was determined to try and plant a seed of change.

"Beloukas," Jesus started. "I understand that your family's business has been built on the foundation of slave trading, and it might seem difficult to let go of something that has been part of your life for so long. However, we must question the ethics and morality of such a trade."

Beloukas frowned. "Look Shield Hero, wherever you may be from let me just tell you that in this world you live in now, slavery is completely acceptable and sanctioned by the Queen. But whatever your reasoning may be Shield Hero, what you fail to understand, and let me just state it now, is that my business is essential for the economy. It creates jobs, generates wealth, and provides stability for many families, including my own."

Jesus nods, understanding Beloukas point, with him being in another world. One without God. "I acknowledge that your business may have an economic impact, but at what cost? But doesn't your basic human morals warn against gaining wealth through the exploitation of others. And let me quote you on a book that the lord has created back in my world; "Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth or gives to the rich, will only come to poverty"- Can you truly find peace and prosperity when your wealth is built upon the suffering of others?"

Beloukas crossed his arms, remaining unmoving and confused as to why the Shield Hero has decided to antagonize hom on his business. "It's survival of the fittest, Shield Hero. In this world, you either take advantage of opportunities or be left behind. I won't be the weak one left to suffer."

"Survival of the fittest might be a worldly concept, but as people all sharing this same world that we live in, we are called to live by a different standard. In a Sermon I had back then in my world on a mountain, I had said, "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy". And by showing mercy and compassion to those you have enslaved, you might find a different kind of prosperity – a richness of the soul that money can never provide."

Beloukas looking away and shaking his head. "You don't understand the pressure I'm under, Shield Hero. My family expects me to continue the business, and if I don't, everything we've built will crumble."

Jesus nodded. "I understand that family responsibilities weigh heavily on your heart, but true success is not measured by wealth and power alone. Let me tell you about my passion for wood carving."

Beloukas looks back at Jesus, a look of interest in his face. "You carved wood as well Shield Hero?"

Jesus smiles and nods. "Yes, my father on Earth was a carpenter, and I had grown up learning his craft. It brings me immense joy, and through it, I find a connection with my father's creation. I don't do it for fame or money; I do it because it fulfills my heart and soul. There's a lesson in that, Beloukas."

Beloukas raises an eyebrow, not sure where the Shield Hero was getting at. "What lesson?"

Jesus continues. "Pursue what brings contentment to your heart. Even if it seems difficult or uncertain, following your true passion will lead you to a fulfilling and purposeful life. Your love for wood carving speaks to the depths of your soul – a glimpse of the person you truly are, beyond the slave trader façade."

Beloukas scoffs, but there's uncertainty in his heart. "But the business, the power..."

Jesus kindly responds. "Power can corrupt and lead us astray from our true selves. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? Reflect on the lives you impact through your trade, and consider what truly matters in the grand scheme of things.

Beloukas paused, words he'd never thought he'd hear in all his life. He had felt this way back when he had started the business, uncomfortable with the fact that he sold living breathing beings to other people for profit. People that tend to treat them unfairly and cruelly. But he had learned to not care and push those feelings to the deep depths of his head as time went on, locking the feelings of sympathy he had once felt for the demihumans. And now, this... this Shield Hero had somehow unlocked it once again in him.

"I never thought I would be having such a conversation with the Shield Hero." Beloukas commented, clenching his jaw.

Jesus gave a soft smile. "Life has a way of surprising us, my friend. The truth is that we all have the capacity to change, to grow, and to embrace a better path."

Beloukas looks down, the emotions getting to his head. "No... It's not easy to turn away from everything I've known. Stop it Shield Hero, just stop."

Beloukas began to stand up, bringing a hand up to his head, as he felt the pain of sorrow throbbing in his heart. Why? Why was he feeling this once again? What did he care for the Shield Hero's words?

"Change is never easy," Jesus continued, standing up to console Beloukas with a touch of his hand. "But it is often necessary for growth and personal transformation. I know of a man whom I have not yet met, but through what my father has shown me through his vision. This man named Paul, once named Saul, turned away from his old ways and became a strong advocate for love, compassion, and justice."

"I have no idea what you're talking about Shield Hero, it all sounds crazy!" Beloukas snapped back, pushing away from Jesus and turning to leave. "This was all a waste of time! Damn it Shield Hero! I don't want anything to do with you again!"

"If you can find it in your heart, that sympathy, compassio gentleness nand kindness you once felt. Dig down and find it! Release the slaves you have in your tent. Do it for them, for yourself!" Jesus called out to the conflicted and retreating Beloukas.

As Beloukas disappeared into the street, Jesus sighed. He now left it to Beloukas's hands, the hands of a sinner, to correct his wrongs. He hoped, he prayed, he believed that Beloukas would unlock the compassion he once held and turn away from his sins.

Jesus then returned to Rose's home, returning to the quiet room filled with Humans and Demihumans who looked at him with curiousity as he had returned.

"What happened teacher?" Thomas asked, immedietly upon Jesus returning to the table.

"I merely just had a talk with him, tried to get him to change his ways."

"I see..." Thomas said, biting his lip as a question arose in his head. "But if you truly are the son of a- no, if you're the son of God, why don't you just change his mind and make him better? Why can't your father just make him become nice if you disapprove of what he does?"

Jesus looked at Thomas, a sad but understanding look on his face. "Because Thomas, who am I to steal away the freedom of a sinner's choice to save himself from his wrongdoing?"

---

Author's Note- Hey guys, first of, I'd like to apologise for the 2 year long hiatus. To be honest with you, while writing this chapter, especially the first part with the concept of slavery and all, I had lost my faith while digging in through the past of the Bible, thinking to myself how could a loving God allow such things to happen? I turned into an agnostic-atheist for a bit, having not gone to mass and having stopped praying. I didn't want to continue the story anymore and just gave up on it. But then, by chance, I stumbled upon this story by an ex-atheist on quora who had shared his story of having a medical condition that made him home-bound and unable to interact with people outside. He had grown up in a Christian household and had grown to hate and resent God and Jesus for putting him in such a miserable state. yet, 50 years later, while having some of the most painful feelings in his body imaginable, he stumbles upon a picture of mother Mary with baby Jesus in an old family album then suddenly his pain was gone and he felt a sense of relief fill him instead. This story amazed me and I even had some conversations with the guy on quora upon messaging him, he's been cured of his sickness now, and although he still remains skeptical of religion, he has grown to quit resenting religion and has learned to see it in a better light this time Around. And with all the hate Christianity has been getting on media lately, I felt a bit of sympathy after reading through all the people ridiculing and making fun of Christians in the comments of videos, articles and the latter and ran across some rather compelling arguments from Christians debating people of differing views. So once more, I decided to do my research and dig into the Bible, there I found that just simply reading the stories and words in the Bible pointblank has an entirely different feel and meaning than when you actually try to understand the meaning behind the passages and stories within the Bible. I was amazed, and I remember analysing the text, trying to understand the good in some of the most controversial takes by the Bible. One of them being the concept of slavery. So you may be wondering why I had Jesus defend and condone slavery in this story, despite the fact that the Bible "clearly supported it." Well, while doing research, I had discovered that the type of slavery that the Bible condoned was The Bible does not explicitly endorse or condemn slavery but provides regulations for its practice. In ancient times, slavery was widespread, and the Mosaic Law aimed to regulate it rather than eliminate it. Hebrews were allowed to sell themselves into slavery to fellow Hebrews, but their servitude was limited to six years, and they were to be treated well. In Exodus 21, specific laws protected the rights of slaves, granting them rights not commonly found in the ancient world. While the New Testament did not demand immediate emancipation, it instructed slaves and their owners on godly behavior within the system. Masters were told to treat their slaves with fairness and kindness. The Bible's teachings on the value of every individual being created in God's image and its condemnation of kidnapping and selling people laid the foundation for the eventual abolition of slavery. Christianity, through the transformed lives of believers, played a significant role in bringing about the end of slavery in nations where it took firm hold. And I've read through so many rants from rightfully angry African Americans on how European people back then had used the Bible to justify slavery against them. Yet, the Bible itself condones the slavery practised by the Europeans back then, and those people were merely using the Bible to justify their wrongdoing in a wrong way. Similar to how a priest would harm a person or child despite being a man of God. They were wolves in sheep's clothing using the Bible to justify their wrongdoings. And through all my research, I've found and discovered so much that returned and strengthened the faith I had once lost, and now I'm confident on finishing this story to the end. I'd like to thank you all once again for following this story even after all these years. I'm back now, and I'm determined to see this story to the end. So apologies for the absurdly long author's note, I'll read you all in the next chapter. So once again, can we all get an amen?!